Counting Stars
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: Now a twisted game of Cat & Mouse as hunter becomes the hunted; the Ambassador's son & Mossad Director's daughter come face-to-face w/forces that seek to destroy them & everyone they love. Loyalties tested, lives cut short & the agency they count among their family turns its back on its own, which might just tear the team- & their family- apart. Picks up where Buried... leaves off.
1. Chapter 1

**Counting Stars **

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: It's now a twisted game of Cat and Mouse as the hunter becomes the hunted, and the Ambassador's son and the Mossad Director's daughter come face-to-face with forces that seek to destroy them and everyone they love. Loyalties are tested, lives are cut short and the agency they count among their family turns its back on its own, which might just tear the team- and their family- apart. Picks up immediately where_ Buried..._ leaves off. **

**A/N: Anyone else notice that I tend to write stories in sets of four? **

"I'm sorry, but I don't exactly understand this. Explain it to me again?" Tim asked, pouring three cups of coffee. Ziva was sitting on the sofa across from Michael, who sat in the armchair. Silently, Tim handed the other man the coffee before joining his wife and handing her her own cup. It wasn't just that Tim was unclear on what Michael had explain to them, it was more the fact that his wife's former Mossad partner was sitting in their living room.

"I have been put on mission by Mossad, to find your father, Ziva, and kill him."

_"Why?"_ Tim asked, not trusting the other man. Rivkin chuckled.

"Because Eli David has been a thorn in the side of Mossad for years. He has gotten out of control. And he has gotten dangerous. Not only to us in Mossad, but to you here."

"He knows about Tali?" Tim asked, surprised, even though he shouldn't have been.

"He has always known about Talia being alive. They never found her body, and so he knew she had to have escaped. And he knew, as long as you were on the fringes of Mossad, he could not touch you, Ziva. And now that you are both in America, you are sitting bucks."

"Ducks." Ziva corrected. Rivkin turned to her. "The expression, is _'sitting ducks_.'" Ziva growled, as Tim laid a hand on her knee and gave her a look. After a moment, Tim got up, going into the kitchen, seeing Asher come out of the hallway.

"_Abba_, who is that?" Tim knelt down, whispered something to him, and then gently pushed the boy back into the hall, towards his sister's bedroom.

"Your son?" Rivkin asked, turning back to Ziva, who nodded, pulling her husband's robe tighter around her boxer-and-tank clothed body. "And, were I to guess, I would say you found his father." Again, she nodded, as Tim returned to them, taking a seat beside his wife again.

"Asher has a little brother and sister now." Ziva whispered, taking Tim's hand and lacing their fingers. Rivkin raised an eyebrow.

"Does he?" She nodded. "Anymore on the way?" He joked lightly, but Ziva closed her eyes, shaking her head with a chuckle.

"No. Tim and I use protection and I am on Mirena. Zipporah is our last."

"Zipporah?" Ziva nodded, turning to Tim. She nodded, and after a moment, he squeezed her hand and got up. Several minutes passed, before he returned with the boys in tow; Zipporah was settled on his hip. Both Asher and Liron hid behind their father; though, as they got closer, Asher suddenly realized who was sitting across from his mother. Rivkin had always been kind to Asher, and the other man had developed a minor crush on the young mother, but the boy had always unnerved him, a common trait among men who dated or liked single mothers. Now seeing the three children with Tim, Rivkin realized how desperate Ziva was to find the man who had fathered her child. She was happy. "They are beautiful, Ziva."

She gave him a soft smile and got up, taking Zipporah from her husband with a soft kiss. As they settled on the sofa, Ziva whispered,

"There is more to this,_ ken_? There is more than you just coming to kill my father." Michael nodded.

"Yes." Tim and Ziva shared a glance, before Ziva pressed a kiss to Zipporah's head and turned to the boys.

"Take your sister and brother and go back to bed, my angel." Asher nodded, getting off the sofa and taking Zipporah before taking Liron's hand and leading the little boy back to the hallway. He glanced back at his parents before finally leaving. Once they were gone, Ziva turned back to Rivkin. "What else?" Rivkin raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, Michael. We were partners once, I trusted you with my life. What else is there? Besides killing my father, what else do you have to do?"

* * *

Asher gently tucked the blankets around his brother. "Asher?" He took a seat beside his brother.

"What is it?" Liron swallowed.

"Who is that strange man in the living room?" Asher swallowed.

"He... He is Officer Rivkin. He was... _Ima_'s old partner in Mossad. When we lived in Israel." Liron raised an eyebrow.

"We did?" Asher's head snapped up.

"Just_ Ima_ and I. _Abba_ was forced to leave, so only_ Ima_ and I lived in Israel. You and Zippa were not thought of yet." The younger boy nodded.

"Oh. Is that when you and _Ima_ came to America?" Asher bit his lip.

"We came to find _Abba_ when I was eight. America was scary. It was nothing like I had seen in books. It was bigger." Liron furrowed a brow.

"But... I thought you were born in America?" Asher shook his head quickly.

"No. You and Zippa were born here, but I was born in Israel. But because _Abba_ is American, I am American, even if I was born far away."

"Oh." Liron yawned. "I am glad we are in America." Asher smiled as his brother fell asleep, and he leaned over, pressing a kiss to his head.

"So am I, Liron." Then, he slipped out of the room.

* * *

"What else could Mossad possibly having you do, Michael?" Ziva asked, taking Tim's hand. Rivkin sighed, meeting their eyes.

"It is not Mossad, Ziva. It is your father. He is convinced..."

"Convinced of what?" She asked, staring at him. Tim raised an eyebrow at Rivkin's next words.

"He is determined to bring down Director Vance. And ultimately, NCIS."


	2. Chapter 2

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

_She made her way down to the olive groves, her weapon tucked securely in the holster at her hip. She took a seat beneath the olive trees, and after a moment, pulled out the gun. The black metal shone in the sunlight, and after a moment she glanced back at the house. She shouldn't even be considering this route... Ima would say she had so much to live for, except Ima was no longer here. Ima was dead, as well as her little sister. It was the day after discovering that her mother and sister were gone, and the shock had finally worn off, leaving her hollow._

_It wasn't fair. The boy she loved was in America, probably living his own life with a wife and kids, while she was here, in Israel, raising his son. And now, her mother and sister were dead, all because their sadistic father had put a price on their heads, because he wanted her. Well, he wouldn't get her._

_Taking a deep breath, she lifted the gun, resting the barrel to her temple. "Ima!"_

The door to the shower slid open and she turned as Tim stepped into the shower and slid the stall door shut. "Hey, you okay, Zi?" He asked, slipping his arms slowly around her waist. Slowly, she lowered her arms from their place over her chest, her Star of David returning to its resting place against her chest. Shaking the dark memories of that day from her head, she gave him a small smile, nodding and reaching down to cover his hands with hers.

"_Ken_, of course. Just wondering when you would decide to join me." Two days had passed since Rivkin had shown up and informed them that he was there to kill Eli, and that Eli was determined to bring down both Vance and NCIS in the process of going after his daughters. Ziva and Tim had then spent the next couple days trying to figure out a plan, and had come up empty, before deciding earlier that morning, that when they went into work, they would inform Gibbs and Vance of the new developments.

"Got lonely?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her neck. She giggled and nodded, turning to him.

"Of course." Gently, she reached up, caressing his face. "I am always lonely when you are not around." She sighed. "I have come to depend on you so much. It is not fair to you." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She bit her lip as they collided, and wrinkled her nose.

"I don't care. That's why I'm here. To be here for you when you need me. You're my wife. I wouldn't have it any other way." She gave him a soft smile, pressing a kiss to his lips.

* * *

Tony looked up, to see Tim and their probie- for Ziva had gained her probationary agent status while back- enter the bullpen, talking softly. "Hey, what's up, McFamily? Little ones at school?" They ignored him, sharing a glance before separating for their respective desks.

"I think I've got something that will make you smile." Gibbs said, entering the bullpen behind them and dropping an identification card and a license on her desk. She glanced at them, letting out a little gasp. Gibbs held her badge out to her. "Congratulations, you're now a Journeyman agent."

"My probation is officially over?"

"Done and done." Gibbs replied, going to his desk.

"Congratulations, Special Agent David." Ziva narrowed her eyes.

"It's Special Agent McGee, Tim." Her eyes returned to the badge. "I will carry this with tremendous pride." She then turned to Tony. Grinning she went to Tim, wrapping her arms around him from behind and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "But none so more than the ring you slid on my finger, Tim. That, is most important of all." She pressed a kiss to his lips, hearing Gibbs speak up,

"It's Special Agent David here, Ziva." She frowned, glaring at Gibbs.

"But, I am a McGee!" Gibbs turned his blue eyes to her.

"By marriage, yes, but here, how confusing do you think it would be to have two Agents with McGee as their last name on the same team?" She pursed her lips, clearly not satisfied.

"May we... try it out, for a week or so?" Gibbs sighed, glancing at Tim, before nodding. Grinning, she pressed another kiss to Tim's lips before returning to her desk and turning to Tony. "We are now, equals." He raised an eyebrow.

"So you gonna go out and celebrate tonight, David?" He asked. Ziva glanced at Tim, but he was on the phone with someone.

"Perhaps. Or, I might just stay in." Tim stood, making his way to her desk. He leaned over it, whispering softly,

"Can't. Tali just called. Rivkin came to see her, told her the same thing he told us this morning. We have to tell him now, Zi." She met his gaze, taking a deep breath, nodding. They turned, to find both Tony and Gibbs watching them. After a moment, Tim straightened and nodded towards the elevator. "Ziva and I need to talk to you, Boss." Then, he left the bullpen, Ziva following behind, slipping her badge onto her belt. Several minutes passed before Gibbs finally followed. Once inside the elevator, Tim flipped the switch, and turned to his boss.

"What is so important you couldn't tell Tony as well, McGee? We're a team."

"This has nothing to do with him, Boss." Tim replied. Ziva took his hand, taking over.

"My old Mossad partner, Michael Rivkin, came by to see us this morning. He has been assigned..." She swallowed. "to assassinate my father. And... he told us that... that my father is..." She glanced at Tim, who nodded, squeezing her hand in support. "My father is seeking to not only destroy Tali and I, but Vance and NCIS as well." Gibbs watched the couple share another glance, noticing the conversation pass between them in mere seconds. "I talked to my sister this morning, and..." She took a deep breath, looking back at Tim and mouthing an apology.

"Tali and I... we have decided that... that we will allow him to come after us, because we are ultimately what he wants, but I will not let him take NCIS down with him. When he fails, the only two casualties he will take with him are Tali and I. No one else will suffer at our expense. He wants my sister and I, and he is going to get us."


	3. Chapter 3

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to MH96 for reviewing 2 and Reader for reviewing 1 and 2. **

"_What_?" Tim grabbed his wife's hand, yanking her back so he could look into her eyes. "_When the fuck did you decide this_?" She narrowed her eyes, and wrenched away from him.

"While the boys were getting ready for school. Tali called; you were dressing Zipporah. We agreed. It..." She stopped.

"It's what?" Tim asked as she pulled away from him and flipped the switch. "Zi, what is it?" She turned back to him.

"It is something from our childhood. A pact." And then she slipped out of the opening doors, rushing for the men's room. Tim sighed, and followed, leaving Gibbs standing in the elevator, stunned.

* * *

"Explain it to me." She looked up, droplets of water moving down her jawline to drop from her chin. "What do you mean it's a childhood pact? That what? That you and Tali would kill each other or... or_ kill your father_?" She met his gaze, taking a deep breath.

"You do not understand, Tim." She replied, turning and leaning against the sink, facing him. "You do not understand the value of having a sibling pact." Tim scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

"_I_ don't understand the value of sibling pacts? Zi, that's all Sarah and I _did_ when we were kids, was make pacts! And we kept them, and we never broke one! My childhood was made up of pacts because that's about all Sarah and I had to keep us sane! So don't you tell me about not having sibling pacts."

She sighed, looking up at him. "I am sorry. I know how close you and Sarah are, I should not have accused, I just..." She pushed herself away from the counter. "I just... never thought we would never have to enact it."

"Ziva, what exactly did you agree to?" He asked; she turned to him.

_'We have to promise, Tali. We have to make a pact-"_

_"What is a pact?" Ziva sighed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. _

_"A pact is something important. It is a promise, but it is much stronger than a promise. A pact has magical powers, powers that can either be used for good or evil. Ours is going to be used for good."_

_Tali nodded, understanding only a little of what her sister said. The two girls were curled up in Ziva's bed in her room; hiding from the fight they could hear taking place in the living room. Ziva, at thirteen, understood more of the fights than Tali, who at six, only knew that the shouting and fighting was a normal occurrence in the David household._

_"Will we become fairies or witches if pacts are magical?" Ziva shook her head._

_"No, Tali. It is not that kind of magic. A pact's magic is a million times stronger than regular magic. It binds the people to keep the pact, no matter the circumstances or changes. So no matter what, you can never break it." She had only included the magic to keep Tali's mind off the arguing going on in the living room. So far, it seemed to be working. The girl was totally engrossed. She scooted closer to her sister. _

_"What do we have to do?" After a moment, Ziva got up, going to her desk and rummaging around for something. When she returned, she showed Tali what she held. _

_A pair of scissors. _

_"We have to use these, Tali." She whispered. _

_"What for?" Her sister asked, eyes darting quickly from the scissors to her sister and back. "Zivaleh, why do we need scissors?" Her sister swallowed. _

_"Because... the only way to make sure the pact is strong enough... is to prick our fingers and exchange blood." Tali's eyes widened in shock. _

_"Prick our fingers?" Ziva nodded. "So... use blood?" Another nod. "But... will it hurt?" _

_"Just for a little bit." She lifted her hands and turned them over, studying the palms. Her skin was soft, supple, unused to hard work. She saw the lifeline running the curve of her thumb, and the heart line, swopping between her fingers. And then her gaze landed on her fate line, running down the center of her palm from the webbing between her index and middle finger. After a moment, she opened the scissors and taking a deep breath, laid the tip of the scissors against her palm. She glanced quickly at her sister, before tilting the scissors up and gently pressing the tip into her skin, before quickly slicing down her palm, creating a short cut. She bit her lip, whimpering softly as the skin finally broke and the blood began to bead at the opening of sliced skin._

_Tali let out a whimper, covering her mouth to keep quiet, fear in her dark eyes. Ziva glanced at her briefly before turning her gaze back to the blood pooling in her palm. "It does not hurt much, Tali. Only slightly, and then it just aches. I promise." Her sister halted, glancing at the scissors. "Do you want me to do it for you?" After a moment, she nodded, holding out her hand. "No, it has to be the other hand." _

_"Why?" Ziva rolled her eyes. _

_"Because we have to shake on it." Slowly, the child held out her other hand, watching as Ziva turned the scissors around gently pressed the tip to her sister's palm. Then, she quickly sliced down the center of her sister's palm, reaching out and slapping her other hand over Tali's mouth to keep her from screaming. Once done, Ziva dropped the scissors and pressed her bleeding palm to her sister's. She wrapped her fingers around her sister's wrist, and leaned close, whispering, "When we agree to this, we have to mean it. Nothing and no one can stop us. Okay?" _

_Tali nodded quickly. "Ken, Ziva." She whispered, as her sister removed her hand from her mouth. _

_"Good." She thought a moment, looking around, before her gaze landed on the door, where, just beyond the bedroom, were their parents, arguing once again. As her head snapped back to Tali, she said, "We have to agree to..." _

"Ziva!" Her head snapped up, the memory dancing away from her like the wind on a warm summer day. She looked up, finding her husband's green gaze filled with worry. "What did you and Tali promise each other?" She sighed, her heart breaking as the words fell from her mouth.

"That if our father ever came looking to destroy us and those we loved, that one of us would kill him, before turning the gun on themselves."


	4. Chapter 4

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to mcgeeksgirl and Reader for reviewing 3.**

"Excuse me!" She pushed past him, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving the bathroom. "Did you just say... that... that you or your sister... need to commit suicide after committing patricide?" She yanked away, grabbing the door handle.

"_Ken_, Tim, I did. Why? What is it to you?" She started back towards the bullpen, Tim following hot on her heels.

"It's everything to me, Ziva!" He cried, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. "You basically just told me that you and Tali plan to kill your father and then yourselves."

"I know." She replied, meeting his gaze. He pulled her back.

"How can you be so calm about this?" She sighed, reaching up to caress his face. "Zi, you're my wife. You really expect me to believe that I'll just stand back and let you murder your father and then yourself? Zi, I can't do that-"

"Shh, Tim, hush, my love." She breathed, searching his gaze. "We'll be okay. I promise." She gently stroked his cheek, before pressing a kiss to his lips and returning to the bullpen. Tim sighed, watching her go, before following. She took a seat at her desk, not looking up as Tim went to his own. However, Gibbs and Tony _were_ watching, and both noticed the sudden change in attitude within the bullpen.

"Everything all right, McCouple?" Tony asked.

"We're fine, Tony." Tim replied, as Ziva met his gaze.

"_Ken_, _just._ Fine." Ziva added, quickly returning to her work. Tony glanced at Gibbs, before returning to his own cold cases. Eventually, the silent conversation got to Gibbs, and he ordered both Ziva and Tim home for the rest of the day. As the two left, Tim grabbed her hand.

"Zi," She turned to him, waiting, one slender eyebrow raised. He sighed. "I'm sorry, I just... the thought of losing you... terrifies me." He pulled her close. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." She wrapped her arms around his neck briefly.

"You would move on. You would raise our children, and keep me in your memories, and then, when you felt you were ready, you would remarry. And be happy. Because it would be what I want for you." He shook his head.

"You've got it wrong. I am happy, with you. Only with you." She grinned softly.

"And I am only happy with you." She whispered softly in response, rising up to meet his lips with hers. Silence filled the parking garage, before Tim pulled brow furrowed.

"You and Tali have both Michael and I, as well as the team to back you up. Why the hell would you kill yourself after killing your father?" She closed her eyes, sighing in agitation.

"Timothy, I was_ thirteen_." He raised an eyebrow. "Look, when we made that pact, _Ima_ was threatening to leave, and_ Abba_ was threatening to kill her and us and then himself if we tried to leave, so that we could _never_ leave. I figured, if it ever came to that and he did try to kill us, that one of us would kill him and then ourselves, so that whoever survived had a chance to live." He sighed, and slowly nodded, kissing her deeply before pulling away and going to the car. "I was trying to protect my mother and my sister! It should count for _something! Tim_!"

"Just get in the car, Zi!" He replied, unlocking the car and opening the door. She sighed and followed, slumping into the passenger seat. Tim sighed, watching her, before leaning close. "We'll talk when we get home, okay?" She nodded, accepting the soft kiss. But when he pulled away and saw the pout, he took a deep breath. "It was a bad childhood, surrounded by an obviously abusive parental relationship. I understand."

* * *

Tali had asked her sister and brother-in-law over for dinner, and so Tim and Ziva had picked the kids up and head over as soon as Tali got off work. Now, the adults sat around the kitchen table, talking and sharing coffee. Ziva was helping Tali finish up the salad, and Michael and Tim were sitting at the table, helping the kids with their homework. At one point, Tim got up and refilled his cup, watching as Ziva slid her arms around her sister's waist from behind and laid her chin on her shoulder. He chuckled gently, pressing a soft kiss to her head before sitting down and returning his attention to helping Asher with his math homework.

"A strange man came to school today." Everyone turned to Liron, who looked up from his homework.

"What do you mean, sweetheart? What kind of strange man?" Tim asked gently, even as Ziva's protective instincts began to rise, and she pulled away from Tali, going to her son.

"Where did you see him? What did he look like?" Tali shushed her sister, grabbing her hand and tugging the older woman back towards her.

"Take your time, Liron." Tim whispered, reaching over to take the pencil from his son's hand. The little boy took a deep breath, glancing at his homework before turning to his father. Tali kept her grip on her sister's hand, stopping her from rushing to her son and colliding with the boy as she tried to extract information from him. He was just a child after all.

After a moment, the boy's soft whisper filled the room.

"He was standing on the other side of the fence, during recess. He was watching me really intensely, like he was watching a movie." He met his father's eyes, and Tim nodded for him to continue when he was ready. "He had on a long tan coat and a pair of glasses. And he had grey hair. And glasses. And when he spoke to the other man he was with, it..."

"Take your time, sweetheart, okay." Tim whispered. Liron turned to Ziva.

"He talked like _Ima_, with a funny accent."


	5. Chapter 5

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Finally felt well enough to post this. Been fighting a really bad cold, so don't know when I'll be able to post the next chapter. **

**Thanks to mcgeeksgirl and Reader for reviewing 4. **

Ziva turned to her sister. Both women had the same look in their eye, and in one soft voice, whispered, "_Abba_." After a moment, Ziva went to Liron, kneeling in front of her son. She gently took his small hands in hers, and brushed her thumbs against the backs of her son's hands. Taking a deep breath, she whispered,

"My joy, can you tell me, what did the man say?" Liron swallowed, green eyes searching his mother's face.

"Promise you will not get mad,_ Ima_?"

"Why would I get mad, my joy?" She asked, concerned. After a moment, the boy leaned towards her, cupping his small hand around her ear and whispering softly to her. The others watched, intrigued, wondering what the boy was saying to his mother, before he finally pulled away and asked,

"Can I go play now, _Ima_?" Ziva nodded.

"Asher, take your siblings and your cousins and go into the living room." Silently, Asher did as told, scooping Zipporah up and following his younger brother. Once they were gone, Ziva stood.

"What did he say, Ziva?" Michael asked. She took a deep breath, meeting her brother-in-law's gaze. Her own looked haunted, like she'd seen a ghost. "Ziva, you okay?" Michael reached out and took her hand, and after a moment, she nodded, saying,

"He said, 'He is my bastard daughter's child.' Who says that? In front of a little boy?" Tim went to her, pulling her close.

"Hey, we'll be okay, all right?" She nodded against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. He tangled his fingers in her hair, brushing a kiss to the top of her head before turning to Michael and Tali.

"So what do you suggest we do, Tim?" Michael asked, as Tali perched on his lap. The agent sighed, glancing at his wife.

"Call Gibbs."

* * *

He wasn't surprised to see the David sisters sitting together on the sofa, knees brushing, talking in hushed tones. Michael answered the door when he arrived, and afterwards, went to Tali and Ziva, pressing a kiss to each dark head of curls before perching on the coffee table. He sat in front of them, silent, waiting for one of them to speak. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the children, watching silently from the kitchen; Tim held Zipporah on his hip, her own dark head of curls resting on her father's shoulder. "Talk to me, Ziva."

Michael and Tim shepherded the children back into the kitchen, leaving Gibbs to talk to the sisters. "_Abba, cup_." The little girl reached out for her brother's cup on the table.

"What do you say, Zipporah?" Tim asked softly.

"_Pwease_." The child whispered, and her father picked up the cup, allowing her to take it. "_Toda_." Michael chuckled softly, watching his brother-in-law and niece. The child took a sip of her brother's juice and then pressed a kiss to her father's cheek. Tim's green eyes closed and he winced, though accepted the sloppy kiss. Michael shook his head, a smile on his face.

"You've fallen into the father role fairly well, Tim." The junior agent shifted his daughter so that she had both legs around his waist and was facing him, and leaned back against the counter. He shrugged.

"It's not easy, but then again-"

"No one ever said it would be." Michael finished. Tim nodded, reaching up and brushing Zipporah's curls of her forehead. The child held tight to the cup; she sipped it slowly, being careful not to spill any.

"But it's the... the most rewarding job in the world." Michael chuckled, watching as Tim pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead.

"That it is." He watched his brother-in-law, glancing back towards the living room. Gibbs and the girls were still talking in soft, hushed tones. "It's not fair. They didn't ask for this, neither one of them. And yet, they're the ones being punished."

"I'm partially to blame." Tim whispered, as Zipporah held her cup to her chest and curled against her father; he reached up, taking the cup and setting it back on the counter before brushing his fingers through his child's dark curls. "If Ziva and I hadn't..." He sighed. "Old history. We can't change the past, all we can do is learn from it and live for the future." Tim looked up, to find Ziva in the kitchen doorway, Tali and Gibbs behind her. She rushed to them, taking Zipporah in her arms and pressing a kiss to her daughter's head. "So, what have you decided?" The sisters shared a glance, before Ziva said,

"We are... going to be staying with Gibbs for the next few days. And on Monday, we will go to Vance and work things out from there." Michael softly ushered their two back to their bedrooms to pack a couple bags. Tim went to his wife.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Zi?" She met his gaze.

"No. But right now, we have no choice, Tim. Not until we know our father's movements, and can find out what he wants."

* * *

Gibbs had told his team that his door was always open, but staying there without much choice made the common phrase restricting. With the kids all tucked sound asleep in bed, and Tali and Michael on the sofa, sipping coffee and talking softly, Gibbs came down to find his agents in the basement; Tim was laying within the skeleton, staring at the ceiling as Ziva spent her time throwing her knives. As he stepped off the bottom step into the basement, Ziva yanked her knife out of the wood and joined Tim, laying down by his side and turning her gaze to the ceiling. Silently, he went to the counter, pulled down a bottle of bourbon, and grabbed three mason jars, as Ziva's soft voice broke the silence.

"What are you thinking about, Tim?" He stopped, setting the bourbon jar down to hear Tim's reply.

"I'm thinking about what I'm going to do when I kill your father."


	6. Chapter 6

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Feeling a bit better, but not fully up to speed yet. Will try to upload as much as I can this weekend. **

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 5. **

Ziva turned to him, dark eyes wide in shock. She pushed herself up, onto her elbow. "I... I am sorry, _what_?" Tim turned his head to stare at her.

"You heard me, Ziva."

"But..." She scoffed. "You... you are not seriously going to... to _kill_ my father..." He reached up, cradling her face in his hand.

"If Rivkin doesn't succeed, then yes, I am going to kill him. I'm not going to let him destroy our lives." She moved closer, laying back down and resting her head on his chest.

"Let Michael take care of him; it is his job to-"

"I will, but if he can't, then I am." He wrapped an arm around her and pressed a kiss to her head. "I'm not going to let him hurt you, not again." She snuggled close, closing her eyes and breathing in her husband's scent. Tim turned to meet Gibbs's gaze, wrapping his arms tighter around his wife. "I promise. He's never going to lay a hand on you again, Zi."

* * *

Vance's door burst open on Monday morning and Gibbs stormed in. The director looked up, toothpick between his teeth. "Can I help you, Special Agent Gibbs?" The older man leaned on Vance's desk, blue eyes sparking in anger.

"Eli David was spotted skulking around my agent's apartment early this morning. He's looking for both his daughters! He wants to finish what he started, and he won't stop until they're both in the ground!"

"I'm aware of-"

_"Are you_, Leon?" Gibbs interrupted. "When you split up my team, Ziva was sent back to Israel. Mossad got their hands on her and sent her on a mission- and that bastard, her father- left her to die in a desert! If it hadn't been for us, she'd have died in that desert and we'd have never found her! He put a hit out on Talia's head when the girl was sixteen-years-old, because she went against his wishes and helped her sister! _Sixteen_, Leon! The only reason she survived is because she wasn't seriously injured in the blast, and was stolen away on a plane after the bomb went off!" Gibbs straightened, pointing a finger at the director. "You tell Eli David to stay away. To pack up and go home. She is _off limits_! They both are! _They all are_!" Then, without another word, he left the office.

The team looked up as Gibbs came down the stairs and back into the bullpen. Tali was down helping Ducky and Palmer in Autopsy; both she and Michael had taken an extended paid leave of absence until this was taken care of, and had spent most of their time at NCIS, when they weren't at Gibbs's place. Ziva, Tim and Tony were in deep discussion in the middle of the room, their chairs pulled close, and Rivkin was leaning against the entrance, listening.

Gibbs tapped Rivkin on the shoulder, nodding for him to follow to the elevator. Once inside, Gibbs hit the switch and turned to the officer. "What are you doing here, Officer Rivkin?" He asked, stepping close to the older man.

"I am here to kill Eli David, Agent Gibbs." He replied.

"How can I be sure it isn't to take those two girls back to Israel and immerse them in Mossad?" Gibbs growled, stepping closer, until Rivkin had to step back. The other man chuckled.

"You do not know me, Agent Gibbs-"

"I don't want to know you, Officer Rivkin. I want to know that you aren't going to take those girls away from their families and throw them back into the snake pit they managed to climb out of. You understand me? She's one of us. Both those girls are! They belong to me, and if you think that working this closely with them is going to get them to agree to go back to Israel with you, you're dead wrong! _You got me_?" Rivkin nodded, watching the older man as he flipped the switch and sent the elevator moving again.

* * *

Tim sighed; the day had been stressful enough thanks to Eli's appearance, without Ziva's constant asking if he wanted her to go with him to get dinner for the team. He'd finally scooped Zipporah up and pushed her into her mother's arms before gently pushing his wife towards the back entrance to the bullpen, ordering her to go down to Autopsy with the kids and have tea with Ducky. And when the others had asked, he'd waved them off; he needed the alone time and the silence to gather his thoughts before he killed someone. The only bright spot in the whole day had been when Rivkin left NCIS and returned to his hotel. Tim had gotten tired of seeing the other man get close to his wife and not having permission from Gibbs to kill.

He stopped however, halfway across the parking lot, at the sight of the exhaust coming out of his tailpipe and the sound of the car running. He dropped his bag and drew his gun, going to the driver's side and yanking the door open.

He had to be seeing things. There was no way... _no way in hell_...

His heart leapt into his throat, and he had to force himself not to squeeze the trigger, to get his thoughts under control, to find his voice, but words eluded him at the sight before him. He would expect this from _his_ side of the family, but not hers...

Not even_ concerned_ about the barrel of the gun pointed at him, or the confused look on his son-in-law's face, Eli held up his hands, and with a grin said,

"No kiss for your father?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: There is a reason _why_ I wrote it this way...**

This had to be a mistake.

Eli David, the Director of Mossad, the man who had ripped him from Ziva when they were kids, the man who'd disowned his daughter and grandson before the boy was even born, who'd tried to kill his youngest daughter and had turned his only son into a monster, the man who was responsible for this upheaval of their lives, was sitting in his car- in _Tim's car_- with the heater running, waiting for him, expecting a kiss hello, like he hadn't done all he could to destroy his children's lives.

"What the_ hell_ are you doing here?" Tim growled, green eyes narrowing. Eli just studied his son-in-law.

"I am here to talk, Timothy." After a moment, Tim slammed the door and nodded for Eli to follow. Once they were both on even ground, Tim led the way, making sure to stay within sight of NCIS. Once they reached the bridge the overlooked the Washington Monument, Tim turned to Eli, gun still out and at the ready.

"_Talk, now_." Tim ground out, keeping a good distance between himself and Eli. The older man studied him, chuckling softly.

"You are exactly as I remember. Stubborn, used to getting your own way. The perfect bad example for my daughter."

"I never got my own way. That was Ziva. She's always gotten her own way, because I could never deny her anything. And I've never been a bad example. You have." Eli raised an eyebrow and stepped closer; Tim raised his gun, stepping back, making it clear he wasn't to get any closer.

"I am aware you would think that way. Look at who is calling the pot black."

"Kettle." Tim automatically corrected. "Pot calling the _kettle_ black." He took a deep breath. "And I have only ever tried to protect her. She's my wife, she's the mother of my children. I'm not going to let anyone hurt her, especially not _you_." The older man chuckled, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, I know, she gave birth to your bastard." Tim had to force himself to loosen his grip on the gun. "And... that you have another one. Another son. And a daughter."

"You keep away from them. I find out you've touched even one of the hairs on either of their heads, and-"

"And you will kill me?" Eli interjected. "Yes, I am well aware of your hatred towards me, Timothy. But despite our differences, you are still my son-in-law, you are still married to my daughter, and though she turned her back on her country-"

"Israel was not her country, it was the place she was born, yes, it was the place where she gave birth to my son, yes, but it was not her country and it was not her home. America is her home."

"She is still my daughter, they both are."

"She has a name." Tim ground out through clenched teeth. "They both do. They_ both_ have names." Eli glared at him.

"I am aware. I gave it to her. To both of them. Just as you gave your children their names." He stepped closer to the younger man. "Tell me, Timothy, how does it feel, to have your children look at you, with such pride in their faces? With such love and respect? You are lucky. When they turn their backs on you, you will cling to those memories and dream of having them back."

"My children will never turn their backs on us, because Ziva and I will never treat them the way you treated her and her siblings. We will never treat them the way my sister and I were treated. Never!"

Eli chuckled softly. "I want them to look at me like they used to when they were little girls. Such pride, such love. Back when they were children. Before their innocence was stolen from them."

"The only one who stole their innocence was you, Eli. You pushed both Ziva and Tali away when they didn't fit into your perfect mold, and caused them to turn their backs on you. _You_ are to blame, not me, and not anyone else. Just yourself."

"And tell me, Tim, how did it feel, when your own father turned his back on you? When he beat you with that fireplace poker, after discovering that you'd slept with my daughter?"

"I was finally free; I didn't have them telling me how to live my life, I didn't need to worry about pleasing them. I could focus on my own path in life, and finding Ziva. And she found me."

Eli nodded, watching his son-in-law. "Yes, she did. And she married you, and you gave her two more children, obviously."

"What do you want, Eli?" Tim asked, not trusting the older man.

"Let this be the first step towards my redemption." He replied, holding out a hand. Tim glanced at it, and returned his grip on his gun. He shook his head, definitely not trusting the man now. Ziva's words echoed in his head; the conversation they'd had the night before concerning her father, as they'd slipped into bed and settled down.

"Your sins are too great." His whisper was soft, and he struggled to keep the tears in his eyes at bay as he thought of how the Ambassador hadn't even tried to seek redemption; and deep down, a small part of Tim's heart had wanted to hear Eli's words come from his own father's mouth. Whether it was truth or lie, at least Eli had said them; his own father hadn't uttered so much as a word in regards to redemption in his and Sarah's direction. He swallowed. "You are better off dead."

Eli met his son-in-law's gaze. "And your wife will be better off once I take her back to Israel with me, to be buried beside her mother and brother." And then, without a word, he turned and left, leaving Tim speechless and shaking, tears slipping down his cheeks.


	8. Chapter 8

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

The elevator doors opened, and everyone looked up; Tony was at the elevator entrance, eager to help Tim with the takeout, but he was surprised to see Tim in the state he was in. "You forget our order, Probie?" He joked, even as Tim pushed past him. "Hey! Probie, you okay?" Tim ignored him, going to the bullpen and scanning for his wife. Ziva was up and out of her chair as soon as she laid eyes on her husband.

"Tim? Timothy, what is wrong? Tim? Talk to me." But all he did was wrap his arms around her neck and hold her close, burying his face in her dark curls. She wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. The others all watched, confused as to what could cause such a reaction from the Junior Agent. After several minutes, Ziva pulled away, forcing her husband to meet her gaze. "Talk to me, Tim. You are scaring me."

"Where are the kids?" He breathed, sniffling. She furrowed her brow.

"Um... down in Autopsy, with Ducky and Palmer, why?" Tali glanced at Ziva; she'd come back up to the bullpen, and had been deep in conversation with her sister when Tim had returned. He wrapped his arms around her waist, searching her face for several minutes before leaning down and capturing her lips in his. Ziva gave into the kiss for several minutes before pulling away. Normally, she loved it when Tim was clingy- especially after sex- but tonight, it had her worried. "Tim what is wrong? You are scaring me. Talk to me, please."

He swallowed, closing his eyes and nuzzling his nose against her cheek, gathering his courage. In a soft whisper that only she could hear at first, he spoke. "I went out, to get the takeout and... my car was running. When I pulled open the door..." He took a deep breath, nuzzling his wife's cheek again. "Eli was sitting in the front seat, waiting for me." He pulled away, meeting Ziva's gaze. "The first words out of his mouth were, 'No kiss for your father,' as though it had only been weeks since we hadn't seen each other, not years."

"Tim-"

"Wait," Tali stood, moving around her sister's desk and making her way towards her brother-in-law. "You... you're saying that... that our father... was here? At NCIS, looking for us?" Tears choked her voice, and she struggled not to cry. Tim turned to her, shaking his head.

"He wasn't looking for you, he wanted to talk to me, Tali."

"About what?" Ziva asked, not trusting her voice to get any louder. Tim swallowed, turning back to her.

"About you. About us." He took a deep breath. "He told me that... that he is here..." He scoffed, shaking his head, not fully believing it even now, as the words left his lips. "to seek redemption. He is here to 'ask forgiveness' and..."

Ziva shook her head, tears in her eyes. "His sins are too great, Timothy-"

"I know. That's what I told him." He replied, pulling her closer. "And I told him he was better off dead. And he..." He sniffled, tears slipping down his cheeks. "He told me that you would be better off when he took you back to Israel to..." He swallowed, and Ziva lifted his chin.

"To what, Tim?" She asked softly. He met her gaze.

"To bury you beside Rivka and Ari." She wrapped her arms tight around him, holding him close, running her fingers through his hair as she let him sob softly into her hair.

* * *

Tony watched as Ziva tugged Tim down to Autopsy, Tali and Michael following. Once they were gone, he turned to Gibbs. "I've never seen McGee so shaken, Boss." Gibbs nodded.

"Eli threatened his wife and children, of course he's shaken, Tony. How would react if your father-in-law showed up and threatened your family?" The younger man looked up as Gibbs nodded towards the elevator. "Come on, let's go pick up dinner."

When they returned, Gibbs led him down to Autopsy, and it was there that they found the rest of the group with Ducky and Palmer, cups of tea or coffee in hand. Tim was sitting on the floor, leaning against the autopsy freezers, staring into space; Ziva sat beside him, head on his shoulder, on hand wrapped around his arm, the other holding tight to his hand. They had explained Tim's encounter with Eli to Ducky, and the older man had offered his advice. The children sat coloring in a corner, watching their parents out of the corner of their eyes.

"Who's hungry? We've got food!" Tony announced, setting the bags on one of the tables and proceeding to unpack. Once everyone had food, Gibbs shut the doors and locked them, watching as silence filled the room. Tony sat with his teammates; Michael and Tali were deep in conversation with Palmer and Ducky, and the children were sitting with Abby, listening with wide eyes to her stories of growing up in New Orleans. At one point, he looked up at the sound of laughter to find Tony having missed his mouth, a sight which had caused both Tim and Ziva to burst out laughing. The sight was one that warmed Gibbs's heart, and remind him of the kids he had to protect. They were his family, and it was his duty to protect them, all of them.

As they settled back into silence, Gibbs watched as Tim seemed to relax, his confrontation with Eli all but forgotten for the time being. Ziva pressed a kiss to her husband's cheek, sharing a smile with him before stealing a soft kiss. Tony rolled his eyes, pretending to gag before getting up and joining Gibbs at the table. "How much more disgusting can they get?" He asked, watching as Ziva reached up and gently thumbed her husband's bottom lip before taking his lips in another soft kiss.

"Leave them be, DiNozzo. After what Tim just went through, they need a little normalcy. This is as normal as it's going to get for them right now, at least until that bastard is six feet under. Let them have this tonight." Tony kept his mouth shut, watching as the pair shared kiss after soft kiss, silently agreeing that this was as normal as they'd most likely see for the next several weeks.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 6, 7 and 8; and mcgeeksgirl for reviewing 8.**

She slowly pulled away, laying her head against the freezer door, staring into his green eyes. "I am so sorry, that you had to deal with him, Tim." The words danced on her breath, shining in her dark eyes, and after a moment, Tim took her hand, lacing their fingers.

"It's not your fault, Zi. I was courteous, even though I wanted to put a bullet in his skull." He got up, tossing the empty cartons into the trash before going back to his wife and helping her to her feet. She curled into his arms, lifting one of his wrists and pressing a soft kiss to the knot. She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head on his chest.

"I am proud of you, Tim. For not doing what you wanted to. I understand; I would also, but I am proud of you, still." Tim sighed, wrapping his arms around her. She nuzzled her nose into his shirt, breathing him in.

"I should have pulled the trigger. Ended it."

* * *

Gibbs watched as Tim pulled his wife into his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips. They needed normalcy, as much as they could get at this moment. Without being allowed to go home, this was as normal as they were both going to get. "Mr. Gibbs!" He turned, as Liron rushed towards him. Catching the little boy, he settled the child onto his hip, searching the green eyes all of Tim and Ziva's children possessed.

"What can I do for ya, Agent McGee?" The little boy giggled as Gibbs tickled his neck, and held out the picture.

"For you." He took it, studying the drawing. "It is Mr. Grandpa Gibbs, at his new home. See? He has a store with pretty jars of candy and... and a yellow car with black stripes and... and... and... a door that let's him come down to visit us." Gibbs listened as the little boy talked about everything in his drawing, and Gibbs felt tears come to his eyes. "What is wrong, Mr. Gibbs? You don't like it?" Gibbs shook his head.

"No, Liron. I love it. Thank you." He pressed a kiss to the little boy's cheek, making the child smile. When he set the child back on his feet, he looked up to find Tim and Ziva watching. They both gave him quick smiles, as Liron rushed to his parents and Tim scooped the boy into his arms. Gibbs chuckled, as Ducky joined him.

"They are quite remarkable, aren't they, Jethro?" Gibbs nodded. "It is... always astounding, who one chooses for their mate. Sometimes, they find the perfect person, other times, they find that the person they expect, is far above their expectations. In this case... well, it is neither. Timothy and Ziva chose each other as their mates long ago, based on mutual attraction and a desire to find their own place in the world. And now that they've settled into that place, it is being disrupted. I do not blame Timothy for wanting to pull the trigger tonight. A human's first instinct is to protect his mate and offspring, and the sooner than trigger is pulled, the better."

* * *

The next morning, found the team at their desks, subsisting on coffee and pastries. Tali and Michael were sharing the partitioned desk, helping the kids with their homework. At one point, Vance came into the bullpen. He looked around, seeing the exhaustion on his agents' faces. "Go home people, get some rest. That's an order." After several minutes, Tony, Tim and Ziva began to pack up, but the latter stopped, turning to Gibbs. Vance intercepted before the Team Leader could say anything. "Home to your own apartment. Agent DiNozzo, go with them. Let them be, Gibbs. We'll set up detail around their apartment and the Delacriox's home as well. Now go home. All of you."

Sharing a glance, Tim and Ziva waited for the kids to catch up before following Tony. Gibbs made his way towards Vance once they were gone. "Are you trying to get those girls killed, Leon?" Vance narrowed his eyes.

"I'm trying to give them some sense of normalcy. They need this right now-"

"And if Eli David kills them-"

"He won't."

"How do you know?" Gibb growled.

"Trust, Gibbs." Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

* * *

Tony sat on the sofa, Zipporah perched on his lap. He, Tim and Ziva had done a thorough sweep of the apartment when they returned home, and finding it clear, had allowed themselves to relax for awhile. Now, he watched as the boys played a board game on the living room floor, and Zipporah sat watching him with wide green eyes. "You're gonna have all the boys chasing after you when you get older, you know that? You're gonna have tons of boys vying for your attention, with those dark curls and those bright green eyes."

Tony jumped, feeling the smack to the back of the head. He turned; Tim's own green eyes narrowed at him. "There will be no boys going after my daughter, DiNozzo." Ziva rolled her eyes, snorting.

"Do not pay any attention to him, Tony. Tim is just overprotective. And he is bound to be, with Zipporah being our only daughter." She swatted her husband gently on the arm, giving him a look. Tim rolled his eyes; he swatted her in response, and she got back at him by gently smacking his cheek in that affectionate way of hers. Grinning, she turned and sauntered back into the kitchen. Tim narrowed his eyes, before following; Tony watched, leaning forward to watch as Tim sidled up behind his wife and slid his arms around her waist from behind. She tilted her head to the side, allowing him to nip at her neck. Tony shook his head, rolling his eyes before turning back to the little girl on his lap.

"Your mommy and daddy are certainly funny, aren't they, Zora?" The baby giggled, clapping her hands, and Tony grinned.


	10. Chapter 10

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: There's a pretty big development in this chapter... **

Ziva jumped; turning to see a car finally drive off after having a rough start. She took a deep breath, her father's words ringing in her head.

_"In Mossad, we call that the difference between life and death."_

She shook her head, sending his voice out of her head and into the early afternoon sunshine. A week had passed since Tim's encounter with her father, and they had put up with the heavy guard surrounding her and her sister and their families. Tali, Michael and their kids were at Ducky's house, and Sarah and Damon had taken the kids out for a day, leaving Ziva and Tim with the rest of the team. Nervous, she glanced around quickly, before heading into the building. Tim was waiting for her, coffee in hand. A grin tugged at her lips, and she accepted the coffee, following him into the elevator. As the doors closed behind them, she let her arms wrap around his neck.

"_Toda_, Agent McGee." He chuckled.

"_Al lo Davar_, Agent David." She grinned, meeting him in the middle and drinking in his kiss. The elevator shook, followed by the sound of something giving way.

_"Tim!"_ She slammed into him, sending them both to the ground. He managed to somehow shift so she was beneath him and away from the majority of the debris coming towards them. Eventually, the noise stopped, filled by silence, dust and smoke. She coughed, reaching for his hand. "Tim? _Tim_!" He groaned, pushing something off of him.

"You okay, Zi?" He whispered softly, choking on the smoke. She nodded.

"Yes. You?" He nodded, coughing.

"Yeah. I'm okay." She pulled away, removing her jacket and tossing it to the floor.

"What the hell happened?" Tim looked around, coughing as his mind began to work through the scenarios.

"It... felt like... almost like a small explosion... like the planes that hit the towers on Nine-Eleven." She turned to him, watching as he began to remove his own jacket.

"That is not funny, Tim." He shook his head, wadding his jacket up.

"It... wasn't meant as a joke, Zi." He swallowed. "I had a friend, who was having breakfast with his sister at Windows on the World the day the towers fell. He sent me a text... saying that it felt like something in the building exploded... He left me a voicemail later, minutes before the towers fell, saying that it was getting... harder to breathe and that there was smoke everywhere... and that... that he didn't think it was an explosion, that he thought it was maybe a plane, that had crashed into the building... he didn't make it."

"Oh Tim-" Tim shook his head.

"That's what I was referring to. It was so slight, he couldn't even tell if it was a plane or a bomb. This... it felt like a plane, impacting with the building, not a bomb..."

"Oh Tim!" His brow furrowed, but he soon understood the horror on Ziva's face as she grabbed his sleeve and ripped it up the side, revealing the gash in his arm. "Here." She knelt down, rummaging around the debris for their bags, and finding hers, pulled out her scarf. Taking her knife out of her belt, she quickly sliced through her scarf, cutting it into strips before working on his wound. He chuckled softly, taking a deep breath.

"When did you get to be so maternal, Zi?" She grinned, fingers quickly working on the makeshift bandage.

"When I discovered I was carrying your son." He closed his eyes, hissing gently as she finished.

"I am sorry."

He shook his head, reaching up to caress her cheek. "As long as you're okay. That's all I care about." She nodded, accepting his soft kiss, before pulling away. Tim looked around, before turning to his wife. "Come here." She furrowed a brow. "Just come here." Slowly, Ziva did as told, and let out a squeak of surprise as Tim lifted her up.

"Tim!" She kicked out, but he tightened his grip.

"On my shoulders. _Sit_ on my shoulders." A moment passed, before she understood. In a matter of a few minutes, Ziva was sitting on his shoulders, examining the blocked elevator ceiling. "At least the top of the elevator protected us from whatever happened."

She grunted in response, pushing against the ceiling. "I can... think of... worst ways to... die..." Another push brought no response from the ceiling. "I am... almost there..." She groaned, stopping. "God, we are stuck! Something is blocking it!" She looked down at her husband. "It is jammed. They are going to have to open it from the outside." Before she could say another word, the elevator shifted, and she reached down, wrapping her arms tight around Tim's neck as the lights flickered and she slid to the ground. "We slipped."

"Really? I thought I felt the earth move." A slow shake of her head, as she searched his eyes. Several minutes passed in silence before she whispered,

"You are sweating."

"It's hot in here, Zi."

"I had not noticed." They stared at each other for several minutes, before Tim took a seat on the ground. She watched him. "What are you doing, Timothy?" He shrugged, looking up at her.

"Might as well wait until they get someone to let us out." Sighing, she joined him on the ground, laying her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Smoke filled the bullpen. Tony slowly climbed to his feet; he had no clue where anyone else was, where Gibbs or Abby or Tim and Ziva were. He knew Ducky and Jimmy were with Tali and Michael and the kids, at Mallard Manor, keeping the children entertained, while their parents came in to work on cold cases, but other than that, he had no idea of anything else. Footsteps sounded, and he turned, finding Gibbs come towards him.

"Hey Boss."

"You okay?" The older man asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. Tony nodded.

"Um... yeah, I think so. You?" Gibbs coughed briefly and looked around.

"Where's Tim and Ziva?" Tony swallowed. Come to think of it, he hadn't even seen Tim come into the bullpen that morning.

"Um... I... I don't know... Elevator... I... I think..." He watched as Gibbs tried the phone, only to find it dead. "It... it feels really warm in here..." He turned from his boss, heading towards the bullpen entrance. "I think... I think I'm gonna go get some fresh air..." He started pulling his jacket off, when Gibbs's voice stopped him.

"Hey! Stop!" The older man moved around his desk, back towards his senior agent. Tony turned back to him.

"What?" He asked, confused. Gently, Gibbs brushed the jacket to the side, and Tony moved his gaze down. There, residing within Tony's side, was a jagged piece of glass. Gibbs watched silently as blood seeped into his shirt, staining it a deep red. Suddenly, Tony's hazel eyes moved up to meet his boss's ice blue ones.

"Uh-oh." Gently, Gibbs reached up, caressing his oldest's cheek, concerned.


	11. Chapter 11

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Tali scooped her niece up, swinging her gently, making the little girl giggle. Sarah and Damon had taken Asher and his siblings to the park and then returned to Mallard Manor for lunch with Tali and the others, and were currently outside with Tali and Michael, playing in the backyard with the children; Ducky was fixing coffee and Palmer and Damon were teaching Asher and Esther the proper way to kick a soccer ball. A moment passed, before Tali lost her grip on the little girl, and she stumbled, catching Zipporah minutes before the child would have landed on the grass. Slowly, the doctor sank to the ground, cradling her niece close. Palmer was at her side in an instant.

"Dr. Delacriox! Are you okay?" She looked up, worry in her dark eyes, and after a moment, she nodded.

"Yeah, yes, Mr. Palmer, I... I'm okay... I just... got lightheaded is all." She let Jimmy help her up, as Liron rushed into the house to answer the phone when he heard it ringing.

"Tali_ Doda_! Mr. Jimmy! Something is wrong with Mr. Ducky!" The adults were on their feet and rushing towards the house in minutes. They found Liron beside Ducky, holding the older man's hand, the phone by his side. Quickly, Tali knelt beside her nephew, taking him roughly by the shoulders, shaking him.

"What happened? Liron, _what happened_?" The little boy looked up at his aunt.

_"I do not know! I came to get the phone, and... and Mr. Ducky... and..."_ The little boy burst into tears, and Sarah quickly scooped the little boy up, taking him out of the room. Damon followed, guiding the other children back onto the porch leading out to the backyard.

"Michael, call an ambulance, _hurry_!" Thinking quickly, Tali and Jimmy turned Ducky over and began CPR.

* * *

"It's been _hours_, Tim. I cannot take much more of this." Ziva whispered; the two sat in the elevator, having stripped themselves of their outer layers and rolled up their shirt sleeves. Ziva had unbuttoned the top three buttons of her light blue blouse, and Tim had rolled up his shirt sleeves and undone the buttons, revealing the tank beneath.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Ziva raised an eyebrow. He thought a moment, looking around quickly. "I suppose it is getting a little... ripe... in here." Ziva's head snapped up, and her eyes widened.

"I... I am not ripe, Timothy. You, on the other hand are..." She looked her husband up and down briefly, before choking out, "_Pungent_." He glared at her, those beautiful green eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"It could be worse, Zi. You could be stuck in this damaged tin can with_ Miguel_ from Human Resources." He didn't bother hiding the jealousy in his tone. Ziva chuckled softly and reached out, gently smacking his cheek in affection. She'd gotten used to Tim's jealousy showing, and often reminded him that it was proof that he was willing to fight for their marriage, whenever he doubted them.

"He sweats more than anyone I have ever _known_." She chuckled, and after a moment, Tim joined in, searching her face.

"What about Jeremy from Office Operations?" Ziva raised an eyebrow, confused. "That guy." She nodded, understanding. "He's always... undressing you with his eyes." He sighed. "Or Samuel, down in CyberCrimes. Whenever he sees you, he constantly asks if you'd like to come home with him, even though he knows we're married. He doesn't get that," She watched, waiting for him to continue.

"Does not get what, Tim?" She asked softly, reaching out to take his hand, lacing their fingers. After a moment, Tim sighed, meeting her gaze.

"He doesn't get that you belong to me." He whispered. She gave him a soft smile, leaning close to steal a soft kiss. They settled into silence, before she whispered,

"Hey, Tim, what if one of those men is dead?" They locked eyes, the sudden realization that they could just be the next in a long list of casualties caused by the explosion. After a moment, Ziva climbed into his lap, working on the remaining buttons of her blouse. She took his hands, sliding them along her sweat-soaked skin, her eyes locking with his.

"Zi, what are you doing?" She shook her head, reaching up to rest a finger against his lips. Then, she leaned down, replacing her finger with her lips in a deep kiss that sent his arms wrapping tight around her body and holding her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair, even as the sound of the elevator doors sliding open soon reached their ears.

"Hello?" They broke apart, turning to see gloved hands prying the doors apart. Ziva hastily buttoned her blouse and the two scrambled towards the opening elevator doors. Just as they were about to climb out, Abby blocked their path.

"There you are! Oh, Gibbs and Tony, we've all been so worried!" Ziva chuckled.

"Abby, I have never been so relieved to see your gorgeous face." The Goth grinned, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

"You guys must be ready to kill each other! Or... or if not, then..." She stopped, giggled for a moment, and then continued. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather be stuck in an elevator with- except maybe Joan of Arc or Michelle Obama-" The pair shared a glance.

_"Abby!"_ The forensic grinned at their unison reply and quickly bounced out of the space, watching as her friends were helped back to the floor. Once on solid ground, Tim looked around.

"Where's Tony? And Gibbs? _What happened_?" He went to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Abby, what happened?" The Goth swallowed, but before she could speak, someone else answered.

"A bomb exploded." The pair turned, to see Gibbs coming towards them.

"What? What do you mean-"

"I mean, a bomb exploded, Tim. In a car, parked outside the building. No one realized it-"

"Until it went off." Tim finished. "Who... who set..." Ziva tugged on her husband's arm. He turned to her, pale. "What, Zi?" She swallowed.

"I think I know who set it off, Tim. My father." Gibbs sighed, nodding.

"It's looking that way." He reached up, cradling both Tim and Ziva's necks. "It's looking like Eli set the bomb."


	12. Chapter 12

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 9, 10 and 11; and kc5mzr for reviewing 11.**

The doors of Bethesda Memorial slammed open, as the five-foot-two whirlwind that was Talia Delacriox stormed into the building, making a beeline for the nurse's station. Ducky's heart attack had already set the others on edge, but discovering from the EMTs that they'd been en route to help victims at a bombing at NCIS HQ, was the final straw._ "Where are they? Where is my sister? Where is my brother-in-law? Answer me!"_

"Tali, _calm down_." Sarah rushed to the other woman, taking her arm, but Tali pulled away.

"_No!_ _When I find out that my sister and my brother-in-law have been hurt in an explosion and no one tells us anything_-"

"_I know, okay! We're all just as worried as you-"_

But Tali ignored her, turning back to the nurse. "Special Agents Ziva David and Timothy McGee, what rooms are they in? Ziva is my sister-"

"Tali." She turned, to see Gibbs, Vance and Abby waiting for them. The younger woman choked on a sob, rushing towards the Team Leader and throwing her arms around his neck.

"God, Gibbs, how are they?" She cried, holding tight to him. "_Please_ tell me they're okay." A moment passed, before he pulled away.

"They're okay, Tali, I promise. They're dehydrated and a little beaten up; Tim's got a nasty gash in his arm, it tore a vein, but Ziva was diligent and took care to stem the bleeding, and he's got a couple damaged ribbs-"

"She's got a concussion and a couple broken bones, but they're okay. They'll both be okay." Abby said, tears in her eyes. "And Ducky?" The others in the team had heard about Ducky's heart attack from the EMTs who'd arrived after dropping Ducky at the hospital, and all were worried. Sarah gave them all a small smile as she lifted Liron into her arms. The little boy held tight to his aunt's neck.

"He'll be okay. Tali and Palmer worked on giving him CPR as soon as we got to the house, thanks to Liron." She pressed a kiss to the boy's head, and he buried his face in her shoulder. "Can we see them?" Vance nodded, leading the group to the floor his agents were on. As they stepped onto the hall, Tali caught sight of the figure sitting on the floor. Dressed in a hospital gown, her wrists bandaged, her head resting against the wall, she looked exhausted, as if she'd just faced the world and lost the battle.

_"Zivaleh!"_ Tali rushed to the woman, kneeling beside her sister as she realized who it was. Slowly, Ziva raised her head, meeting her sister's eyes.

"Tali-"

_"Oh, I knew something was wrong!_ I just_ knew it_!" The younger woman cried, throwing her arms around her sister and holding tight to her.

"What is she talking about?" Abby asked, turning to Sarah. The younger woman bit her lip.

"Tali got really lightheaded out in the backyard before Ducky had his heart attack. She nearly dropped Porah."

"Had she heard about the explosion?" Abby asked, turning back to the sisters. Tali held her sister close, running her fingers through Ziva's hair and pressing kisses to her sister's temple, whispering softly to her. Ziva, for her part, didn't reply, she just stared thru the others, clearly suffering from the shock of the explosion.

Damon shook his head. "No. None of us knew of the explosion until the EMTs who came to get Dr. Mallard told us."

"So it was... what? Like a... a twin reaction?" Palmer asked. Abby turned to him.

"What do you mean, Jimmy?"

Sarah sighed. "They say that twins have a special connection, and know when the other is hurt or has died. Sometimes, well... there are some doctors that think... that that 'twin connection' is just as strong in some siblings."

"Ones that-"

"Aren't twins." Sarah finished for the Goth. She turned to watch as Ziva slowly wrapped her arms around Tali. Sarah chuckled, thinking of her grandmother, and her penchant for the metaphysical. "Penny used to say that Timmy and I have a... a _twin connection_, because of how close we are. Not in age, but... but because of our childhood. We became each others' protector, and so we developed a... a _special_ connection. I was... always able to tell when Timmy was hurt or... or upset, even when we weren't around each other. And I think..."

"That Ziva and Tali have the same connection." Palmer finished. Sarah nodded. "So when she got lightheaded today in the backyard-"

"It was a direct response to Ziva's being caught in the bomb blast with Tim. Because of their childhoods, they may have-"

"Developed the same connection you and Tim share." Gibbs finished, turning back to the sisters.

* * *

"What are you doing out here, Zivaleh?" Tali scolded her sister softly, pulling away to look into identical dark eyes before standing and taking her sister's arms gently to help Ziva to her feet.

"_Abba_ set the bomb, Tali." Ziva whispered, standing on shaky legs. Panic soon filled her eyes. "I have to find Tim." She pulled away from her sister, taking a step in the direction she'd come from, and stumbled. Tali and Damon caught her.

"Zivaleh, Tim is okay. And the kids, they're okay. They were with us when the bomb went off; they're all safe." Her sister nodded, and Tali watched her, not liking the look in her eyes. "Ziva-"

"She's in shock." Gibbs whispered, gently taking his youngest's elbow, as a nurse rushed towards them.

"There you are, Agent David! I've been looking for you!" The young woman gently took Ziva by the waist, guiding her back to her room. "You're her family, correct?" They all nodded; the nurse knew enough not the question the various 'relatives' gathered around "Come on, I'll take you to her room."

"But I... I need to find my husband-" Ziva started, turning. The nurse tightened her grip, turning her back around.

"He's fine, Agent David. I promise. I'll take you to him now. Okay, come on, that's a good girl." As they followed the nurse, Gibbs looked down, to find Tali's small hand slipping into his. He gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand, pressing a kiss to her head.

"She'll be okay, Tali. I promise." Tali nodded; if there was one thing she'd learned, it was that Gibbs always kept his promises.


	13. Chapter 13

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Tali looked up, accepting the coffee Gibbs held out to her. "Thanks." The older man nodded, taking a seat beside her in the small lounge on the second floor of the hospital. The two sat in silence for several minutes, before Tali took a deep breath. "Agent Gibbs, can I ask you something?" He took a sip of his coffee, as the younger woman looked up at him.

"What's on your mind, Talia?" She sighed.

"Is..." The young midwife licked her lips, thinking. "If my father is behind this..." She turned fully to face him. "Why are you doing this? Protecting us? Michael and the kids and I? You barely know us. All you know is that I'm Ziva's sister and-"

"And Ziva is one of mine." Gibbs stated, cutting her off. She furrowed her brow.

"What?" Gibbs sipped his coffee, watching her silently for a moment. Clearly, she didn't understand the tight bond the Team Leader shared with his agents.

"Ziva belongs to me, just like Tim and Tony do. Just like Kate did before her. She's mine." When the confused look didn't leave the young woman's face, Gibbs chuckled. "After Kate died-"

"Agent Todd, the... the secret service agent? The... the one my brother shot, after targeting my brother-in-law." Tali whispered; Gibbs nodded.

"Yes. After Kate died, Ziva showed up; she had Asher with her, and she'd... she'd just revealed to Tim that he was a father... and... she was there to... to find Ari and stop him from killing me."

"And ended up killing our own brother in the process." Tali whispered. Ziva had told her the truth behind Ari's death, expecting Tali to turn her back on her, but the sisters' bond was stronger than that.

"After Ari's death, Ziva was assigned to my team as a liaison for Mossad. Tim accepted her faster than the rest of us, maybe it was because he's Asher's father, but for us, Kate's death was still too raw, to fresh, and any reminder of who had taken her from us was too much to handle." He sighed.

"And now?" Tali asked, biting her lip. Gibbs shrugged.

"Somewhere, along the line, Ziva became one of mine. After my wife and daughter died... I never thought I would recover; their deaths were too raw, too painful, but over time, my training as an agent and my team began to fill the void. And, at some point," He sighed. "I think... it was right after Ziva showed up with Asher, after she'd told Tim he was a father, that I began to realize that Tim was getting the family he needed. He only had Sarah to count among his biological family, and I think... when Ziva and Asher showed up, it gave him a chance to realize that he wasn't alone. Finding his son gave him a chance to have the family he's always wanted and longed for."

"And?"

"And... I think, from the moment your sister stepped into the bullpen with her son at her side, that I had decided Ziva was mine. She was another daughter to me. She and Kate, no one could ever replace Kelly, but... but I think... I think I noticed the damage your father had done to your sister, even if I didn't know the extent of it. All I knew was that she needed someone there, someone she could look on as a..."

"A father-figure." He nodded. After a moment, Tali bit her lip, asking, "Are you lonely, Agent Gibbs?" The silver-haired man thought a moment, before meeting Tali's gaze.

"You're never alone when you have kids." Gently, he reached up, brushing a tear off her cheek. She gave him a soft smile, even as he leaned over and brushed a soft kiss to her head. "Get some rest, kid." Then, without another word, he was gone, going to check on his agents, leaving Tali alone, his words ringing in her head.

* * *

Sarah looked up as Gibbs joined her. "How're they doing?" The two watched through the window as the doctor examined her brother, checking his vitals and gently testing his reflexes before asking him to lay back to take the x-rays of his ribs. She sighed.

"My sister-in-law's a mess, and my brother's a wreck, but other than that, they seem to be fine. Something's got Ziva spooked, _bad_, Gibbs." She met his gaze. "I've never seen her like this. She's scaring me." Gibbs sighed.

"Eli set the bomb that tried to destroy NCIS."

"Her father?" Sarah asked, eyebrow rising. He nodded._ "Why?"_

"I think he was trying to take out his oldest daughter. Take Ziva out and the team she works with-"

"And Tali is vulnerable." Sarah finished, finally understanding. "So what do we do?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"You don't do anything. Vance and I will take care of it." He replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

* * *

Tim winced, regretting it as his ribs shifted. They'd been released from the hospital two days later, and had tried to fall into as normal a routine as they could with NCIS HQ in shambles, but it was hard, especially with the threat of Ziva and Tali's father now clearly in the forefront of everyone's mind. Ziva lifted her head from his chest, worry in her dark eyes. "I did not mean to hurt you, Tim-"

He shook his head. "Not you, Zi. Just hurts to breathe." He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her head as she settled back down. She sighed, tracing patterns on his skin.

"I am worried, Tim. My father tried to kill us so that Tali would be alone, so that she would be out in the open and vulnerable. What if he goes after her next?" Tim swallowed, squeezing her waist.

"It won't happen, Zi. I won't let it happen, and neither will Michael, or Gibbs. Or Tony or anyone else. I promise."


	14. Chapter 14

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: And now, things really start to go downhill...**

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 12 and 13. **

Rivkin studied the surveillance video. Yes, that was definitely his target...

Now, all he needed to do was get the man alone.

* * *

Nearly a month passed without any activity on Eli's side, and it was sending both sisters into a nervous fit. With NCIS HQ still being worked on, the teams were forced to take the time off, and so the families spent more time together. So when Tali invited the entire team over- including Vance and his family- to her house for Shabbat dinner, they all eagerly agreed, excited to be included in the Jewish ritual that was so important to the sisters.

Ziva looked up from fixing the _challah_, grinning as Liron pulled a chair over and climbed onto it. He watched her for several minutes, before reaching for the dough and stopping. Glancing at his mother, he bit his lip, and Ziva chuckled softly, tugging the chair closer. Once the chair was close enough, Ziva moved behind it, taking her son's small hands and showing him how to slowly braid the bread; instructing him softly with a soft kiss to his head. She didn't notice Tim come into the room and pull out his phone, snapping a picture of the sweet mother-son moment.

Tim and Michael had quickly set the table, as Esther and her brother eagerly welcomed the team that were now an important part of their family. All had brought something to fill the table, ranging from potato salad to rolls and pie for dessert. It was quite an impressive table, made even more so by those they called family gathered around. By the time the candles needed to be lit, Ziva and Tali had calmly explained the Jewish tradition to their extended family, and once everyone was seated, Ziva turned to her oldest son.

_"It's your turn, Ziva, say the blessing."_

She had never allowed Asher to light the candles, but now, she held the matches out to him. He looked up at her, green eyes wide in surprise. "Really_, Ima_?" Ziva nodded, as Tim wrapped his arms around his wife from behind.

"You are old enough now, my angel." She reached out, brushing the curls off his forehead, fingers trailing down his cheek to gently cradle his jaw. "And it is your turn, to say the blessing. You remember the prayer, _ken_?" The boy nodded eagerly as he took the matches and removed one. The rest of the team sat around the table, watching in silence as Asher struck the match. It quickly burned out, and the boy glanced at his parents, worried. Ziva grinned, wrinkling her nose. "It is okay. Try again."

Again, he struck a match, but this time, it refused to light. The third try produced a bright, dancing flame, and slowly, the boy reached out, being careful not to burn himself as he lit the two candles. After he waved the match out, he reached out, holding his hands just above the flames, and looked between his aunt and mother. Softly, Tali whispered,

"Circle them, Malachi." She mimed the motion, and slowly, the boy did as told, still uncertain. After a moment, Tali took her nephew's wrists, gently guiding his hands in quickly circular motions above the candles. "Like this, _Ahuva_." She breathed gently, meeting her sister's gaze.

_"Quick, slow circles, Talia. That is it. And then, bring them up." The ten-year-old looked back at her mother as Rivka gently guided her hands. With her mother's strong hands holding onto her wrists, she slowly began to sing the blessing, stopping when she wasn't sure, only to feel the reassuring squeeze. _

"Now lift them up." Tali said, bringing her own hands to rest in front of her eyes, hiding them. Asher watched, unsure, before glancing at Ziva. His mother nodded, and imitated her sister, watching out of the corner of her eye as her son slowly followed their example.

_She could feel her father's comforting presence standing beside her, and as she began to prayer, she glanced at him, catching his smile. When she stumbled over the old Hebrew prayer, all he did was smile and nod reassuringly._

As Ziva lowered her hands now, Asher began to do the same, but she nodded, and he returned them to their place. She glanced at their surrogate family, gathered around the table, watching and listening in silence as Asher began to say the blessing over the_ challah_ bread.

_"Barukh atah Adonai... Elo... Eloheinu..."_ Asher's eyes snapped open and he turned to meet his mother's gaze, green eyes wide. Ziva nodded, squeezing Tim's hand. _"melekh ha... melekh ha'olam..."_

"Take it slow if you need to, my angel." Ziva whispered. Asher did as instructed; while he knew the blessing, he'd never sung it, he'd only ever listened to his mother or grandmother or aunt sing it, and so he stumbled over the words, nervous.

_"Asher kidis..."_ The boy swallowed nervously, glancing at Tali, who gave him a small smile, her nose wrinkling like her sister's did. She nodded, mouthing the words softly and slowly for her nephew._ "... kidishanu... b'mitz' v... b'mitz'votav..." _The boy bit his lip, turning to glance at his mother again, before turning back to his aunt. _"Asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v... v'tzivanu..." _

Tali gave him a soft smile, nodding. She met her sister's eye, and the two girls shared a smile. "Keep going, you are doing fine."

The boy took a deep breath, and recited the last line of the prayer, glancing at his mother._ "l'had'lik neir shel Shabbat."_

_"Amein." _The soft 'Amen' filled the room, and as Asher lowered his hands, he turned to his parents. Ziva gave her son a big smile, allowing the boy to throw his arms around her waist and nuzzle close. She gently ran her fingers through her son's dark curls.

"I am proud of you, Asher." He looked up at her.

"Really?" She nodded.

"So... can we eat now?" Everyone turned to Tony, who shrugged. "What?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Tim pressed a kiss to each head of curls before letting Ziva put their kids to bed. Once they were gone, he went to the living room, checking the voicemails on the answering machine, when he heard the sound of a door opening. Head snapping up, he reached for his gun, before heading back towards the hall. "Zi. Zi!" She came out of Asher's room, Zipporah on her hip and Liron holding tight to her hand.

"What is it, Tim?" He met her gaze.

"Take the kids into our room and stay with them. Don't leave the room until I come get you, understand?" She nodded, confused, but did as he ordered, knowing that Tim was just trying to protect his family. Once Ziva was gone, Tim returned to the living room, opening the door, gun at the ready.

"_Shalom_, Timothy."

* * *

"Why are we in here, _Ima_? Where is _Abba_?" Asher asked, as Ziva tucked the blankets of their bed around her oldest son. Liron was sitting on the foot of the bed, Zipporah in his lap.

"_Abba_ is checking on something at the door-" She stopped, hearing the sound of fighting coming from the living room, but despite her own curiosity, she followed her husband's orders and stayed with their children. "Come here, my darlings." As the kids gathered under the blankets with her and into her arms, she kissed each on the head. "How about I tell you a story?"

And she told them of growing up in Israel, only to stop whenever something came from the living room. Eventually, Ziva couldn't take it anymore, and grabbed her cell, calling her sister and the rest of the team-

Only to drop the phone at the sound of gunshots. "Ziva! Ziva!" She climbed out of bed, grabbing her gun and going to the bedroom door.

"Stay here, my darlings, okay?" The children nodded, as Ziva stepped out into the hall. Slowly, silently, she made her way down the hall and into the kitchen. "Tim? Tim, what is going-" As she stepped into the living room, the sight that met her caused her heart to stop.

Her father and her husband, on the ground amid broken glass and turned over furniture. Eli had a bullet wound in his chest, the blood soaking through his shirt, and Tim sat beside him, gun tight in his grip, a piece of glass embedded in his side. Ziva dropped the gun, just as the door burst open, and Gibbs and Tony entered, guns raised and at the ready. _"No..."_ She glanced at Tim but didn't see him, as she moved towards her father. _"Abba!"_

She dropped beside her father, quickly pressing her hands to the gunshot wound in his chest, tears racing down her cheeks and mixing with the blood on her hands. As she struggled to keep her father- the man who'd raised her, who'd loved her and turned his back on her, who's intent was to kill her- in this world, she found herself muttering the same prayer she'd muttered over Ari's body as well, her sobs sometimes replacing the words of the prayer.

No one was aware that Tony had called Tali and Michael, saying that they were heading over to Tim and Ziva's because of Ziva's call, or that Tali had shown up not long after Tony and Gibbs.

The younger woman pushed between the two agents, stopping at the scene before her. Her heart stopped, at the sight of her older sister trying to save her father's life, and she choked on a sob, moving towards her sister and dropping to her knees on the other side of their father's body. _"Abba..."_ She choked on a sob, as Ziva finally stopped putting pressure on the wound. Gibbs glanced at his younger agent, not noticing as Tony called for an ambulance.

"Tony, call Ducky too." The senior agent nodded as Gibbs turned back, watching as the two remaining children of the Director of Mossad let their emotions take over as they mourned for their father.

* * *

_"How could you?" _Ziva launched herself at her husband, slamming into him, not sparing any of the pain she felt as she attacked him, screaming in Hebrew as she took her anger out on the man she loved. _"You killed my father, Ben Zonah! Taw manyak! Ani Soneh Atah!"_ Tim struggled to push his wife off, but she refused to be denied her prey.

"_I had no choice, Ziva!"_

_"That is a lie!" _

_"I've never lied to you, Ziva! Why the hell would I lie to you? You're my wife! You're the mother of my children! It's my job to protect you!"_

She tossed her head, anger filling her dark eyes. She reached out, shoving Tim hard, but he caught her hand before her fist could connect with his cheek. She struggled to yank away, but he refused to let go.

_"I do not need protecting, Tim! I can protect myself! And instead of protecting me and our children, you killed my father!" _Tim shook his head, temper rising. She wasn't understanding; he'd killed his father-in-law to protect his wife and children. He'd done what any man in his position would have done.

_"Why don't you just get this out? You want to take a punch, take a swing? Get it out of your system! Go ahead, do it!"_

_"Be careful, Tim. Because much like my father, I only need _one_!"_ He pulled her closer, meeting her gaze.

_"Then that's what you're really angry about isn't it? That's what's bothering you! That I put the bullet in his chest and you didn't!"_

_"You murdered my father! Taw Ben Zonah, you murdered my father!" _Neither noticed Asher sneak into the hallway, but the raised voices and angry Hebrew that followed sent him soon rushing back to the bedroom, to be with his siblings.

_"He attacked me, Ziva! He was planning to go after you and our children!"_ Before Gibbs could intervene, Tim was on the ground with Ziva on top of him, her gun held tight in her hand. Tony followed to help, but Ziva turned, holding her gun up.

_"Do not touch me!"_ Slowly, Tony backed up, hands raised in surrender. Ziva turned back to Tim, pressing her knee into his stomach, ignoring the shard of glass impaled in his side. Tim winced, but kept quiet. _"You saw our glass table, you pushed my father back, you dropped him on it! And when that was not enough, you raised your gun and you shot him! You put a bullet in his chest!"_ She screamed, placing the barrel of her own gun over her husband's heart._ "You could have put one in his leg!"_ She moved the gun to his thigh. _"Or his shoulder! Anywhere else, but you chose his chest!"_

_"You weren't there. You were staying where you were supposed to, with our children!"_ Tim managed to choke out. "_You. Weren't. There."_

_"But I should have been!"_ She met Tim's eyes, not seeing the man she loved, but the man who'd killed her father. Overtaken by a daughter's grief, Ziva had let her irrational side take hold, not caring that she was hurting the man she had chosen to spend the rest of her life with. In time, she would see it, but at that moment, with her father's blood dried and caking on her hands, and his body long-gone cold on their living room floor, she saw only the thickly veiled grief hanging over her face, keeping away all rational thought.

Tony looked at Gibbs as Ziva broke down, dropping her gun and proceeding to beat Tim's chest with her fists, sobs wracking her small frame. _"How could you?"_

Gibbs met his senior agent's gaze as Tony spoke softly. "I've never seen her like this-"

"She's Eli's daughter, Tony. She's mourning the death of her father. It's the only way she can cope with the fact that the man who'd created her, who'd disowned her, who at one time, loved her like a father should, is dead, and at the hands of her own husband. It's the only way she can think to cope with the realization that her husband killed her father." Tony turned back to his partners.

"But Tim killed him in self-defense." Gibbs nodded.

"I know. And Ziva knows, but this... this is the only way she can think to grieve at this point. In time, she'll grieve properly, but for now, in the situation, this is the best she can do." Then, he rushed to Ziva, yanking his youngest agent off of his youngest son, even as she fought against the man who'd been more father to her than Eli ever had.


	16. Chapter 16

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to silvermoon217 for reviewing 14; and Reader for reviewing 14 and 15.**

Once Tim was safely at Bethesda, getting the shard of glass removed from his side, and Ziva safely under some semblance of control, Gibbs made his way back to the bedrooms. He found the children in their parents' room, cuddled up under the blanket on the bed, waiting. "Mr. Gibbs!" Liron climbed out from under the blanket and hopped of the bed, rushing to the older man, who scooped the boy up.

"How are you doing, Liron?" The boy swallowed.

"_Abba_ said we cannot leave the room until he comes to get us." The boy whispered, glancing back at his brother and sister. Gibbs nodded, understanding that it was for the children's own protection that Tim had left that instruction.

"Well, _Abba_ sent me to come get you three. He's at the hospital, and he wants you there when he wakes up."

"_Abba _got hurt." Asher whispered, climbing off the bed and picking Zipporah up. Gibbs sighed.

"Yes, he did."

"Because he was trying to protect us from the bad man." One eyebrow raised, before he realized that Asher was referring to Eli. He held out a hand.

"Come here, you two." Asher went to the older man, taking his hand. As he walked the children through the apartment, he made sure to tell them to cover their eyes, to keep them from seeing the crime scene that had once been their living room.

* * *

Tim's green eyes slowly opened, the smell of antiseptic assaulted his nose, and he looked around. Hospital. Quickly, he shut his eyes, trying to clear away the fog that clouded his mind. "How are you doing, son?" Slowly, Tim turned his head, to see Gibbs in the doorway.

"Boss?" The older man gave him a small smile, and then Tim's gaze landed on his children.

"_Abba_?" Asher whispered, tears in his eyes. He gave his oldest a small smile, and gently held out a hand.

"Come here, my sweethearts." Gibbs set Liron onto his feet, and the boys rushed to their father, climbing up beside him, being careful of the bandages and wires. "You aren't hurt, any of you?" Asher shook his head as his brother spoke.

"We stayed in the room, like you said, _Abba_."

"Good." Zipporah reached for her father, and Tim took his daughter's hand, squeezing gently.

"When can you go home, _Abba_?" Asher asked, tears in his eyes. Tim sighed, glancing at his boss.

"When the doctors say I can, sweetheart."

* * *

Ziva sat in the waiting room; she hadn't said a word since arriving at the hospital. Hands still coated in her father's blood, she stared through them, instead, seeing the scene she'd walked into. Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she struggled to keep her temper in check. She didn't notice her sister sit beside her, or the strong scent of the coffee she set on the table beside them. Several minutes passed, as Tali wrapped her arms around her knees and sighed, thinking of what to say. "Ziva."

No response.

"Zivaleh, look at me. Please."

After a moment, Ziva did as told, turning red eyes to her sister. She took a deep breath, but kept quiet. Tali shook her head, a thousand questions in her eyes, but no way for her to even consider which to ask first. She licked her lips, finally asking after a moment, "_What happened_?"

"I do not know, Tali. I heard two gunshots, and came out to see what was going on, and I found..." She stopped, bursting into tears. _"My husband killed our father!"_ Tali pulled her into her arms, holding her close. She looked up as Gibbs came into the waiting room, followed by Sarah and Damon. Michael was with Tim, and Tim and Sarah's grandmother, Penny, had been called, and was on her way from the classes she'd been teaching at Virginia University.

"He did it to protect _you_." Tali met Sarah's green eyes, shaking her head.

"Sarit, _not now_." She whispered, using the Hebrew diminutive for her brother-in-law's little sister. Through her tears, Ziva met Sarah's gaze.

"He killed my father, Sarah!" She cried, climbing to her feet.

"And your father tried to kill my_ brother_!" Sarah snapped. "He got what he deserved!" But Sarah didn't get a chance to say anything else as Ziva slammed into her, shoving the younger woman to the ground. Tali, ever the peacekeeper of the volatile David family, tried her hardest to breakup the fight, to no avail. In the end, it was Penelope Langston that broke the fight with a sharply yelled,

_"Sarah Alastríona McGee! That is enough! I raised you better than that!"_ Both women stopped, and Sarah quickly scrambled off her sister-in-law.

"Penny?" Penelope Langston stood before her youngest grandchild, her only granddaughter, hands on her small hips, her dark hair held back with a slender headband.

"Alastríona?" Tony asked, catching the tail end of the fight. Penny turned.

"It's Irish, for Alexandra." She replied. "My family is steeped in Irish heritage, and I made sure my grandchildren understood how important their roots are." She turned back to the matter at hand. "Now, what the hell is going on?" She demanded, going to Ziva and helping her granddaughter-in-law to her feet.

"Ziva... Ziva said that... that Timmy killed her father, she doesn't understand that he did it to protect his family-"

_"I understand just fine, Sarah!"_ Ziva snapped. Penny held up a hand, stopping any arguments from forming.

"That's enough, Ziva! Now, where is my grandson?" She asked, looking around at everyone.

"_Savta!_" Everyone turned as Michael joined them, Zipporah settled on his hip. Asher and Liron rushed to Penny, excited to see their great-grandmother, even in the worst of circumstances. Penny knelt down, holding her arms out, delighted to see her great-grandchildren. As the boys threw their arms around her neck, she pressed firm kisses to each head of dark curls.

"_Abba_ is here, _Savta_." Asher said, as Penny stood, taking Zipporah from her uncle and pressing a kiss to the little girl's head.

"I know, blessing, that's why I'm here. I came to make sure Daddy and Mommy are okay." She turned to Ziva, narrowing her eyes. After a moment, she beckoned Ziva to follow her. "You and I need to talk, Ziva. Now." Then, she turned to her great-grandchildren. "How about, we let Mommy get cleaned up, and then go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat, okay?" Zipporah nodded, speaking for her brothers, who clung to their great-grandmother, silent. Ziva glanced at the others, before stalking off to the bathroom, but not before Penny grabbed her wrist, whispering something to her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Is it good?" The little girl nodded, glancing at her mother. Zipporah sat on Penny's lap at the table in the hospital cafeteria, a bowl of applesauce on the table in front of her. "Good." Penny pressed a kiss to the child's curls, before turning her gaze to the young mother. She sighed. "Asher, here." She pulled a twenty out of her purse, handing it to her grandson. "Go get some coffee and take it to the team. Take your siblings with you. I need to talk to your mommy for a few minutes." The boy nodded, as he and his brother got up, doing as told. Once gone, Penny turned to Ziva. "They are beautiful."

Ziva nodded, silent.

"The boys look more and more like Tim every day. And Zipporah, she looks like you. She's going to be very beautiful when she grows up."

Again, her granddaughter-in-law nodded, staring into her coffee. She'd changed and given Gibbs her blood-stained clothes as evidence. And now, she sat twisting her wedding ring on her finger, not meeting her grandmother-in-law's gaze. "You've given Tim three very beautiful children. Any grandparents would be proud to call those three beautiful, wild babies of yours their grandchildren. I know I am." Ziva continued twisting her wedding ring, listening, but not hearing. Penny leaned close. "Ziva, I know what your father did to you, how he tried to make you lose Asher by shoving you down the stairs when you were pregnant. I know he disowned you. I know all about it, and I understand, because I watched my son do the same to my grandson, but what I don't understand, is how you can blame Tim for this."

It was then that Ziva raised her head, meeting Penny's gaze through her tears. "He killed my father, Penny. Murdered him, in cold blood."

"And your father_ didn't_ try to kill your husband?" Ziva lowered her head. "Ziva, Tim had a shard of glass embedded in his side from that fight. He was protecting you." She sighed. "Gibbs told me everything. He also told me how you two went after each other afterwards. Ziva, _what were you thinking_? You could have killed Tim!"

"_He would be just one more thing my father has tried to take from me_!" Ziva cried, looking up at the older woman. "You do not know my father, Penny-"

"No, but I know his type. Your father and my son are one in the same, Ziva. They never appreciated who they had until it was too late. Never showed their children an ounce of love unless it was on their terms. Never saw the beautiful children they'd created for what they were- strong men and women, who could chart their own paths and create their own lives." Penny reached out, taking Ziva's hand.

"How could a man like Eli..." Ziva choked on a sob, meeting the older woman's eyes.

"Those babies you gave birth too, Ziva, they need you, Tim needs you. He needs you to support him, not blame him for protecting his wife and children." Ziva swallowed. "Tim is lucky, Ziva. You've given him perhaps the most beautiful, energetic, wild, loving babies in this world. They're feisty, like their mother. And they're caring, like their father. You should be proud of your children, Ziva."

"I am." She whispered. "But..." Penny squeezed her hand tighter.

"Ziva. Ziva, look at me." When the younger woman didn't lift her head, Penny moved to sit beside her. "Ziva." She reached up, lifting the younger woman's chin and turning her head to meet her eyes. "I know, that you just lost your father. And I know, that a part of you loved him, because he was your father, and that blood connection is strong. But I_ also_ know that you share another blood connection- with your children. And that connection was forged with my grandson. Those three babies you created- those beautiful, feisty, scrappy babies of yours- are your connection to Tim. They have every bit the fight and spirit you and my grandson do. They are going to be what gets you through this."

Ziva took a deep breath and pulled away, getting up. "Tim killed my father, Penny!"

"Did you ever ask him what went _on_ in the living room?" She turned back to the older woman, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. Without a word, Penny stood, going to the young mother. "Maybe you should. You're an investigator, Ziva. It's your job to get both sides of the story."

* * *

Tim's green eyes moved up to see Ziva in the doorway of his room. He glanced down at Zipporah, who was curled into his uninjured side, watching Tim with his beautiful green eyes- eyes that Ziva was so glad her children had inherited. Asher was sitting on the edge, telling his father about their lunch with Penny. Liron sat beside his brother, head on his shoulder. Slowly, Ziva slipped into the room, silent. Tim cleared his throat. "Asher, why don't you take your brother and sister back to the waiting room, Okay?" The older boy nodded, getting down and taking his sister into his arms as Liron followed. "_Toda_, sweetheart."

Once the children were gone, Ziva silently shut the door, going to the bed and perching on the edge. She sighed, hands in her lap. "I... I am sorry, Tim. I.. I did not mean to... I just..." She stopped when he sat up against the pillows and reached for her hand.

"Don't apologize, Zi-"

"Sign of weakness, I know." He shook his head.

"No. You have nothing to apologize for." When she opened her mouth, he held up a hand. "It's a normal reaction. And from someone who's been raised to suppress her emotions," He shrugged. "I should have expected it."

"Tim, I..." She sniffled, scooting closer. "I guess... I was afraid of losing you. My father has taken so much from me already, and... and I... I was not thinking clearly. I..." She choked on a sob, reaching out and taking his hand, lacing their fingers. "I am so sorry."


	18. Chapter 18

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"How they doing?" Penny turned as Gibbs joined her at the window, watching the couple talk out their problems. Penny sighed, crossing her arms.

"She's stubborn, my granddaughter-in-law."

"So is he." Gibbs chuckled. Penny nodded.

"I know. I raised both Tim and Sarah. They're both fiercely stubborn, and when it comes to the people they love, exceedingly protective. It's the Irish in their blood. Stubbornness and a hot temper are most of the common traits among the McGees, but it takes a lot to get that famous temper blazing. My Timmy is like dynamite- a long fuse and a short explosion. He doesn't hold onto things, never has." Penny sighed. "Until her." Gibbs's blue eyes snapped from the couple to Penny and back. "As soon as Ziva came into the picture, all those years ago, Tim's held on, and hasn't let go. Never forgot her and never went a day without trying to find some way to bring her to America. There was one point when I thought he was going to give up and forget, but..."

"But he didn't."

"No. He didn't. Ziva and that little boy were the best thing to happen to Timothy." Penny turned back to the window, in time to see Tim pull his wife close and capture her lips in a soft kiss.

"And he's the best thing to happen to her, too." Gibbs added.

* * *

She slowly pulled away, sighing as she rested her forehead to his. "How can you possibly forgive me after what I did? I tried to kill you, Tim." He shook his head, capturing her lips in another soft kiss.

"I killed your father." He replied. Ziva sighed, Penny's words ringing in her head. It was up to her to get her husband's side of the story.

"What happened, Tim?" The Junior Agent swallowed, squeezing her hand. "Please, tell me." Tim sighed.

"Go get Gibbs first. Ziva, please."

* * *

Once the team was gathered in Tim's room, he started, glancing quickly at Gibbs to make sure he had the recorder on. Penny had pulled up another chair and sat on Tim's other side, holding his hand. Asher was sitting beside his father on the bed, curled into his uninjured side, listening silently. Slowly, Tim looked around, before starting.

"I checked the messages on the answering machine, and that was when I heard the door open. I grabbed my gun and told Zi to take the kids to our room and keep them occupied. When I went back to the living room, Eli was waiting for me."

_He took a deep breath, gun raised and at the ready. "What the hell are you doing here, Eli?" The older man chuckled, and stepped towards his son-in-law._

_"I'm here to take my daughter back." Eli replied, studying the younger man. "And you are in the way." Tim kept the gun raised on his father-in-law. "She is my daughter, Timothy."_

_"And she's my wife, Eli. Being a parent is a privilege, someone told me once. You never deserved that privilege. You never deserved to be Ziva's father. Or Tali's, or Ari's."_

Tim took a deep breath, glancing at his wife. Ziva reached out, taking his hand. She squeezed firmly, giving him encouragement, and he gave her a tiny smile, returning the squeeze. "Tim?" He turned to Sarah. When his sister didn't say anything else, Tim continued.

"... honestly, I think... I think I must have blacked out momentarily, because..."

_"She belongs to me! To Israel! And you destroyed her!" He reared back as Eli's fist collided with his cheek, but once he got over the shock, Tim was able to gain the upper hand. There was a struggle, and Tim soon found himself being thrown into their glass coffee table._

"... I felt something enter my side, but... but I didn't know it was a shard of glass... I..." He turned; Ziva had tears in her eyes. Suddenly, it made sense. The shard in her husband's side had been from_ him_ being thrown into the table, not her father. And she'd...

_For an older man, Eli's grip was strong, as he grabbed his son-in-law around the throat and began to tighten._ _Tim struggled, reaching in desperation for something, anything, to cause Eli to release his grip. Eventually, his hand wrapped around a gun- whether his gun or Eli's he wasn't sure- and he raised the weapon. "She is coming back to Israel with me, where she belongs! She is my daughter! Mine!"_

Ziva quickly brushed her tears away, not bothering to glance around. The silence spoke volumes. Tim's eyes locked on hers, and she saw nothing but the love he had for her, shining within those beautiful green depths, which made her tears flow harder. "I... I raised the gun..."

_He pushed the barrel of the gun into Eli's chest, and with the last ounce of strength he had, he pulled the trigger. Two shots rang out, hitting the older man's heart and severing arteries, and Eli collapsed. Choking in thick gusts of air, Tim pushed the older man off of him and struggled to his knees, unaware of the glass embedding itself in his hands._

"Call it murder, call it self-defense, call it whatever you want, I took another man's life, and no matter how evil he was..." Tim stopped, and Gibbs saw flashes of the rookie agent he'd trained all those years ago; he knew, that flashes from that case involving that Metro cop were flashing through his mind.

He knew that Tim hated taking a life, no matter who's it was.

Gently, Gibbs reached out and patted his knee. Then, without a word, he got up, hearing the others follow. When he looked back, only Ziva remained. Softly, Gibbs closed the door, leaving the couple alone. Once they were gone, Ziva took a shaky breath.


	19. Chapter 19

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to mcgeeksgirl for reviewing 18; Reader for reviewing 16, 17, and 18; and Guest for reviewing 17 and 18. **

Silence filled the room.

After a moment, Ziva reached up and gently brushed her fingers over the scar on her husband's cheek. It was faint, but there, moving over the apple of his cheek and sweeping down towards his lip. Gently, she moved her hand down his cheek, brushing down his chest and over his stomach, moving to caress his bandaged side. Another scar to bear, another wound he would wear like a badge of honor.

"I... I am _so, so sorry_, Tim." She choked out, tears blurring her vision. He winced, and she lowered her hand, not wanting to hurt him any more than she already had. When she looked up, it was as Tim reached up and gently brushed the tears off her cheeks. "I... I did not know... If I had _been there_... instead of in the bedroom-"

"You were where you were supposed to be, Ziva. Protecting our children. Like I asked." She shook her head, shoulders shaking.

"It is _my fault_, Tim... it is my fault you are hurt... I never should have-" But before she could continue, Tim had pulled her into his arms, holding her and gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Oh, Zi, my love. You were doing as I asked. The last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt, and that's what would have happened. Or he would have gone after the kids, and if he'd hurt them, I'd have never forgiven myself." Ziva took a shaky breath, nuzzling into his shoulder.

"I nearly lost you... I am so sorry, Tim..."

* * *

"How's he doing?" Penny turned from the window as Tony joined her. Unlike the others, who'd returned to the waiting room, Penny had stood by the window, watching as her grandson and granddaughter-in-law talked out their issues, and seemed to come to an understanding in regards to the last several hours.

"They're working things out, Agent DiNozzo-"

"If anyone can work things out, it's Tim and Ziva." He sighed stuffing his hands in his pockets. Penny watched her grandchildren for several minutes before Tony interrupted her thoughts. "We're a self-referential crew of nonconformist mistfits, Penny. And Gibbs-"

"Gibbs is your leader." Tony chuckled, nodding.

"Yes, and we'll willingly follow him wherever he goes. Tim, Ziva... all of us. We would do anything for the Boss. He's..." Tony stopped, thinking. "He's the father we never had." Penny nodded, understanding.

"You all have-"

"Daddy issues." Tony supplied. The older woman met his gaze, before realizing he was right.

"Yes. And yet... and this is what I don't fully understand... you work for Gibbs. Gibbs." Tony nodded, chuckling at her realization.

"He's..." He shrugged. "He's more of a father-figure than I've ever had; and certainly more of a father-figure to Tim and Ziva. They look up to him, we all do. And with this situation... well, sometimes, the functional mute speaks more volumes than we do. He didn't say anything when Tim was talking today, but his point was loud and clear." He nodded towards Tim and Ziva. "And they know that."

* * *

Ziva pressed another soft kiss to her husband's lips, before getting up and forcing herself from the room so Tim could rest. The others were in the waiting room, and the hallway was quiet. She shut the door softly behind her, looking up in time to see Rivkin rush towards her. "Ziva, I heard. Is it true? Eli is dead?" She nodded, silent.

"_Ken_, Michael. Dead as a doorknob." Rivkin furrowed his brow briefly, but Ziva waved it away. "What are you doing here?" He took a deep breath as they headed towards the waiting room.

"I went to his hotel room, to kill him and he was not there. Someone said he had already been killed, and when I went to your apartment, you were not there. When I asked your neighbor, and she said that your husband had been taken to the hospital..." Ziva nodded.

"Tim was injured in the fight. But he will be okay." She gave Rivkin a small smile as they slowly made their way back to the waiting area where the rest of Ziva and Tim's family and the team was.

"Good. Ziva-" She turned to him, but Rivkin quickly glanced around, before taking her arm and tugging her into an alcove.

"What is it, Michael? What is wrong?" The assassin took a deep breath, as though gathering his courage.

Ziva watched him, suddenly uneasy. She had known Michael for years; he had been her partner in Mossad- the only man who was willing to work with the young single mother- and one of the very few people in Mossad to look at Asher as a little boy instead of a nuisance. Sure, he'd had feelings for the young mother, but had never acted on them because Ziva had never given him the time of day- she'd always focused on Asher, and finding the father of her son. And now, she was an American citizen, married to the man who'd fathered Asher, an NCIS Agent, and the mother of two more children. She had found her baby sister again, had built up a relationship with her, and Ziva... she was happy, and Michael had no right to destroy that happiness.

But even now, it seemed that that small spark he'd carried for Ziva had returned, building to a flickering ember, and the last thing he wanted to do was extinguish it. He knew that he should just step away, return to Israel and leave her be; walk out of her life like so many others had, and let her love her husband and raise her children and work at the agency she loved so. But a part of him just _couldn't_ leave it alone...

He had to try. Even if it came to nothing, he had to test the waters and see.

"Michael?"

But before she could think of asking anything else, Rivkin had leaned close and closed the gap, taking her lips in his.


	20. Chapter 20

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Guest and Reader for reviewing 19.**

It took a moment for Ziva to realize what had happened. Michael was kissing her._ Michael Rivkin_, her former Mossad partner, had been so bold and actually dared to and was kissing her, not _Tim_...

She shoved him away, surprise in her dark eyes. "_What the hell was that_?" He stared at her, shocked and horrified and hurt that she'd ended it. A moment passed, before he whispered,

"I have been wanting to do that for _years_, Ziva." He stepped closer, forcing her to back up so she could get some air. "Ever since your father assigned you as my partner. I understand that your son was fathered by another man, and that did not bother me then, and it does not bother me now. Ziva, I have waited for years, hoping that you realize-"

"Realize what, Michael?" She ground out.

"That I love you, and that you love me." He reached out, taking her face in his hands and leaning close-

Thinking quickly, she gave one good, swift thrust up. He choked, stumbling back, holding his groin. When he looked up again, it was to Ziva standing over him.

"I am _married_, Michael. I am the mother of three children, and I_ love my husband_, very much. There is nothing between us, Michael! There never has been! My son has always come first. Finding his father has always come first! And now that I am in America, now that Tim and I are married, my life with him comes first. There will_ never_ be anything between us, Michael. So please, go back to Israel and leave me alone." She turned to leave, but stopped, turning back and kneeling beside him. "If you ever come near me or my family again, Michael, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Then, without another word, she stood and stalked back towards Tim's room, leaving Rivkin on the floor, in the hallway. As she stepped into her husband's room and softly shut the door, she quickly wiped her mouth on the back of her jacket sleeve and made her way towards the bed. Tim's eyes slowly opened and he turned his head to face her, a small smile appearing. "Hey." He reached out, and she went to him, perching on the edge of the bed and taking his hand in hers.

"Hey, Tim." Something flickered in her dark gaze and Tim lifted his head.

"What's wrong, Zi?" The young woman bit her lip, taking a deep breath.

* * *

"So, you are Ziva's little sister." Tali looked up from her book; unlike the others, the youngest David sibling was a bookworm, and so contented herself with novels when she had nothing to do. She wasn't like her brother and sister; as a child, while Ziva and Ari were off having adventures or getting into trouble, Tali was curled up with a book, exploring faraway lands without leaving the sofa. Now, she closed her copy of_ Deep Six_ as Penny took a seat beside her. She nodded, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear before accepting the coffee Penny held out with a smile.

"Yes, I... I'm Tali. Talia Delacriox. I... I'm a midwife." Penny nodded in understanding.

"So you deliver babies for a living." She nodded, blushing.

"Yeah. I... I do. Asher was..." Tali sighed. "Asher was the reason I decided to become a midwife in the first place. I helped Zivaleh when she was pregnant and I was there when she gave birth. Our older brother Ari was a doctor and he... he delivered Asher... it was_ amazing_..." She chuckled, glancing at Penny. The older woman nodded, glancing at the three children sitting on the floor, coloring.

"It certainly is." She sighed. "When Timothy was born, I was ecstatic. He's my first grandchild, after all." Tali gave the older woman a small smile. "He... he and Sarah are too precious to be thrown into what they went through as kids. My son and his wife never deserved the privilege of having those two as children. I knew, about the abuse."

"Then why didn't you say anything, Mrs. Langston?" Tali asked, turning to the older woman. Penny sighed.

"I tried, believe me. I threatened to take them away from my son and his wife, but... but John threatened to take me to court and accuse me of abusing the kids, so that I'd never see them... he was a rising diplomat-"

"And his word was God, as far as anyone in the courts were concerned." Tali whispered. Penny nodded, sniffling.

"Besides, whenever they were asked, Tim and Sarah lied, said they were fine. And the only reason I was able to take Sarah when she was thirteen, was because when she and Tim returned from Israel, he filed an emancipation order for Sarah against their parents, requesting me to be her legal guardian. I gladly took her in, and I kept close tabs on Timmy when he went off to school. I didn't know about Ziva and her son until Tim called me all those years ago when she showed up." The older woman chuckled. "Honestly, your sister is the best thing to happen to my grandson."

Tali gave her a small smile, reaching over to take her hand. "And he's the best thing to happen to my sister."

* * *

"So... let me get this straight, Zi. Rivkin... Rivkin kissed you?" Tim asked, sitting up. Ziva nodded, tears in her eyes.

"I am so sorry, Tim. I... I..." He held up a hand.

"I know. You told me. I just..." Several minutes passed, before he pushed the blankets off and moved to get out of the bed. Ziva was on her feet, blocking his way in seconds.

"What are you doing? You have to stay in bed! You just had surgery a few hours ago! Tim!"

"I have to talk to him-"

"Timothy!" She grabbed his shoulders gently, pushing him back onto the bed. Even though he was taller and stronger than her, when Ziva wanted something, she usually got what she wanted.

"Ziva, what are you-" Somehow, Tim found himself back on the bed, with Ziva sitting in his lap. Careful of the stitches in his side, the young former Israeli held her husband down, straddling his hips and pushing his shoulders back into the pillows. _"Ziva! Get off me!"_ She searched his face.

"Tim, I took care of it! I_ handled Rivkin_!" She reached up, taking his face in her hands. "I took care of him. He will not bother us again, my love. I promise."


	21. Chapter 21

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

_"Was Ziva's reaction typical or did it surprise you?"_

Tim sighed; the last thing he wanted to do was sit there and tell Dr. Cranston how he was feeling. Six weeks had passed since Eli's death, and Tim had since been put on desk duty and been forced to see a shrink before being cleared for field duty. Silently, he twisted his wedding ring, admiring the slender strip of colored stone sparking in the light. It reminded him of everything he'd fought for: his life, his home, his job, his family. Everything important, he'd fought for, and he'd won. He'd survived.

"Agent McGee? Tim?" He looked up, startled; Kate sat across from him, not Rachel. Though Rachel_ was_ Kate's older sister- a fact Tim hadn't learned until his first session with her- he could definitely see the resemblance. Where Kate had been more prim and proper, Rachel was more wild and relaxed. "Talk to me, Tim." He blinked, and Kate was gone, replaced by her older sister. "Tell me about that night."

He dropped his hand, sitting up and leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "I've already told you everything you need to know, Dr. Cranston. Eli threw me into the coffee table and tried to choke me to death. I reached for my gun, shoved it into his chest, and double-tapped him. Ziva came out of the bedroom and found us. I don't know what else you want me to say."

"How is Ziva taking it? And Tali?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Ziva and Tali had been unable to start the week-long process of Shiva- the mourning period for an immediate family member in the Jewish religion- because of the investigation. And because the FBI had gotten involved at one point- something Tim didn't remember happening- the sisters had no choice but to start Shiva six weeks after their father's death; the mourning period ended tonight.

"As good as they can. They were his daughters, but... but he wasn't the type of father they deserved."

"So you don't think they deserve to mourn him? He was the man who created them, he raised them, just as your parents raised you and your sister-" Tim's head snapped up.

"Don't you _dare_ bring them into this! As far as I'm concerned, they _aren't_ my parents!" Rachel sighed. She understood, she really did. After a moment, she leaned forward.

"Look, Tim, all I'm saying, is that no matter what happened to them in the past, Tali and Ziva deserve to mourn for their father. It's only right."

* * *

The bullpen was quiet; it was the end of Shiva, and the sisters had been working through their grief; neither was returning to Israel, though. The threat was still too great; especially with Bodnar as Eli's successor.

Tali and Michael stopped by with dinner for the team, and the kids were there as well, happy to be with their parents, where they could keep tabs on them. As Tali unpacked the Chinese, she looked around. Ziva was sitting at her desk, as was Tony, and the kids were sitting in the middle of the room, coloring, but Tim was nowhere to be found. "Where is-"

They suddenly heard what sounded like something hitting the copy machine, and everyone looked up. Tim stood at the copier, kicking it in frustration. It was rare that Tim's temper showed, but when it did, it was often a shock to those who didn't know the normally mild-mannered Junior Agent. As the machine finished its copies, Tim kicked it again,

"_Die_ you_ stupid_ _machine_!"

He grabbed the papers, returning to his desk. "Well he seems unfazed."

"Those are standard NCIS-style copy machine assault tactics, Dr. Delacriox. He's fine." Tony said, as Tim returned to his desk. "Dr. D think's your raging against the machine cause you had to take down your mass murdering father-in-law." The glare Tim threw them was one that could have sent Vesuvius erupting.

"Thanks for that, Agent DiNozzo." Tali replied, getting up and going to her brother-in-law.

"Tim, I'm just concerned, we all-"

"I am fine, Tali." He replied, dropping the copies on his desk.

"See, Dr. Delacriox, he's a steely-eyed killer, just like the woman he married." Ziva shot Tony a glare and got up, going to her husband's desk, stopping to scoop Zipporah into her arms. The boys returned to their coloring, watching out of the corner of their eyes. Tim glared at them.

_ "Sheket b'vakashah!"_

"I don't know him, borsht Ville comedian?" He glanced at Ziva, who shifted her daughter on her hip and rolled her eyes.

"It is Hebrew for-"

"_Shut up_." Tim ground out, not looking at them.

"Really did affect you, huh?" Tony asked. "Have you had your mandatory session with the shrink?" Tim stopped what he was doing, thinking.

"Yes."

"Still crazy then?" Tim's green eyes slowly rose to meet his partner's gaze; if looks could kill, Tony would be dead. Clearly, he'd been learning from Ziva's example. "Getting off your case, McGee." Shaking her head, Ziva moved around her husband's desk and gently dropped Zipporah into her father's lap. Instantly the child cuddled into her father's lap, leaning into his chest. Tim sighed, reaching up and gently running his fingers through his daughter's dark curls. Ziva couldn't help the soft smile as she perched on the edge of her husband's desk, arms crossed. The boys soon joined her, leaning into her sides.

She knew, even with everything they'd gone through, that Tim wouldn't let his temper get the better of him with the kids around. She knew that Zipporah had her father wrapped around her little finger, and that her husband would do anything to please his only baby girl. And so she watched as Tim gently brushed a kiss to Zipporah's forehead.


	22. Chapter 22

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Honestly, I have_ no_ idea where this chapter came from. I wasn't planning on writing _any_ smut for this story, at least, not yet... **

She awoke with a start. After checking the time, she climbed out of bed; Tim was still awake, sitting at his typewriter, staring at the blank page. Sighing, she shuffled over to him, slowly wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. He reached up, covering hers with his. "Tim, it is zero four hundred; come to bed. You need to sleep." She pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat, smiling softly as he gently squeezed her hand.

"I can't sleep. I... I keep _seeing_..." She sighed.

"Then come to bed, and you can forget all about it." She pressed another kiss to his neck, chuckling internally as he squeezed her hands harder. A moment passed, before he pulled away.

"I can't, Zi."

"Cannot, or will not?" He stayed silently. She pressed another kiss to his neck, sucking and nipping gently at the soft skin of her husband's throat. "If you come to bed, Timothy, I promise, I will make it _worth your while_." She purred, nipping quickly at his earlobe. He sighed, chuckling softly. It wasn't often that Ziva got playful, but tonight, her goal was obviously to get him out of his head and focused on something else. Or_ someone_ else.

A moment passed, before he released her hands and pulled away, moving to get up, but before he knew it, Ziva had moved around his chair and settled herself in his lap. Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt out of their holes, before moving to caress the bare skin of his chest. Slowly, very slowly, her hands trailed down his torso, brushing along his stomach and ghosting over the scar he bore from the fight with her father. The skin was puckered and pale, tender. She glanced at him, before leaning down and brushing a soft kiss to the wound that could have cost her the love of her life. Had Tim or her father removed the shard of glass during the fight...

She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on the possibility that she could very well have become a widow. So instead, she turned her attention to her husband, and the jeans he wore. Quickly, expertly, she undid the button and zipper, shifting and pressing herself against him. Dressed in only a pair of Tim's plaid boxers and a dark blue tank top, Ziva wore what she always wore to bed, but now, she was glad for the lack of coverage. Her slender, strong legs were exposed, and the low cut tank she wore exposed just the right amount of cleavage; she knew that Tim wouldn't be able to resist, and so reached up, slowly lowering the straps of her tank, exposing her shoulders and just a hint more of her small bosom. Her dark hair was down around her shoulders in tangles, and after a moment, she gathered her hair up, holding it off her neck.

"Make love to me, Tim. I need you, and I am ready." He searched her gaze, before taking her lips in a soft kiss. After a moment, she got up, taking his hand and tugging him to his feet, before taking his hands and slipping them around her waist. Grinning, she tugged him back towards the bedroom, enjoying the feel of his hands moving down to caress her ass as they walked. She knew for a fact that he loved both her ass and her chest, something she'd discovered that long ago night when they'd conceived Asher.

As the bedroom door clicked shut and locked softly behind them, she removed his jeans, enjoying the sight of the bulge within his boxers. Already moist herself, she wanted nothing more than to take him there on the bedroom floor, but the rational part of her knew that it would be easier on them both if the bed was used. He was after all, still recuperating from surgery. They moved away from the door, and she gently pushed him onto the spacious bed, being careful to straddle his waist and keep from putting pressure on the wound in his side. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the nightstand drawer. They weren't going to take any chances.

Her thighs held tight against his hips, and several minutes passed, before she lowered herself onto him. It had been a while since they'd made love, and it took a few minutes for her to get used to him filling her again. "I have forgotten... how thick you are..." She laughed softly, feeling his hands moved to caress her hips. "Mmm... I have... missed this..." It was tight, the fit between them, but the tightness only served to remind them of the deep connection they shared.

Tim chuckled, trying to stifle a groan as she soon moved herself further onto him, taking him into her as much as she could. "It's been... too long, Zi..." He groaned, tugging her hips closer, forcing himself deeper into her. Slowly, his hands moved up towards her chest, and he gently caressed her breasts. They were small, firm, even after the births of their children and months of breast feeding. Her nipples hardened as he brushed his thumbs over them, and she shivered in excitement. Before she could say anything else, Tim had flipped them over, taking control, thrusting deeper, pulling her closer.

As she reached her climax, she tangled her fingers in his hair, dug her nails into his back, and quickly lost the battle to keep from screaming as she came. He wrapped his arms tight around her, his own orgasm following not long after, and after several seconds, he shifted, laying beside her. They lay catching their breath, a warm, deep, satisfied hum racing throughout their bodies. Tim swallowed, turning his head to meet her gaze. "God, with everything going on... I've forgotten how much I enjoy making love to you, Zi..." She smiled, content, and reached up, caressing his cheek.

"And I enjoy making love to you." He leaned over, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing him onto his back, and lay stetched out on top of him. His arms went around her waist, and he held her close, one hand caressing her ass. "Make love to me again, Tim." She whispered against his lips; he raised an eyebrow, and she nodded, giggling as he flipped her onto her back and captured her mouth in his again. Just as the kiss began to heat up, the door opened.

_"Abba? Ima?"_ The two pulled apart, turning surprised gazes towards the bedroom door. "I heard screaming."


	23. Chapter 23

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"A... _Liron_?" Tim quickly pulled away as Ziva sat up and pulled the sheet around her chest. "What are you doing up, sweetheart?" Tim asked; Ziva had yet to get over the shock and find her voice. The little boy swallowed, watching his parents.

"I... I woke up and... and I heard screaming. Why were you screaming, _Ima_?" Ziva bit her lip, glancing at Tim. He sighed. Liron waited, patiently. But before either Tim or Ziva could say anything, Asher slipped into the room; he'd also woken up to Ziva's screaming, but had checked on Zipporah first- who had slept through the whole thing- before going to his parents room.

"They're going to learn soon enough, Tim." Ziva whispered; he sighed and turned to the boys.

"Can you and your brother wait out in the hall for a moment, sweetheart? Let _Ima_ and I get dressed." Asher nodded, taking his brother's hand. Once the door was closed, Tim got out of bed, Ziva following. As they quickly got dressed, Tim muttered,

"If you'd been able to keep your mouth shut-"

"What good would that do, Timothy? You _know_ I am a _screamer_!"

"Well how _exactly_ do we explain that to our sons, Zi? Just so you know boys, the screaming you heard was your mother _reaching orgasm_? Do you know what that would do to our sons?" Ziva glared at him, jabbing him in the chest with her finger.

"Do not put all this on me, Timothy McGee. You are_ just_ as guilty as I am. It was because of you that-" But they stopped, realizing that Asher was calmly watching through the partially closed door. Taking a deep breath, Tim pulled the door open and took his oldest son's hand. Liron followed, going to Ziva, who scooped her son up. Once they were sitting on the bed, Liron turned to his father.

"What were you doing, _Abba_? Why was_ Ima_ screaming? Were you hurting her? You never hurt_ Ima."_

Tim took a deep breath, glancing at his wife. Ziva swallowed, struggling to think of something to say. Ziva waited, but Tim stammered, unsure of how to begin. "W... we... you... you see..." Tim glanced at Ziva, who shrugged. After a moment, Asher spoke up.

"You were having sex, right, _Abba_?" Ziva started, but the boy didn't look up from tracing one of the tattoos on his father's wrist.

"How... um..." It was Ziva's turn to stumble over her words. "Asher, my angel, where... how did you figure that out?" The boy shrugged, not looking up. A moment passed, before he said,

"Tali _Doda_ told me."

"_When?"_ Tim asked, watching his son. Asher looked up at his father.

"When _Ima_ had Liron still in her tummy." He whispered, meeting his father's gaze. "I... I asked her why _Ima_ was getting so big, and she told me it was because_ Ima_ was having a baby, and... and that was the reason_ Ima_ was getting big, and..." He shrugged. "Tali _Doda_ said it was because _Abba_'s snake found _Ima_'s cave and liked it, and..." He didn't notice his parents share a glance, or the blush rising on both sets of cheeks. "and that... _Abba_s and _Ima_s make babies."

The boy was bright- he _was_ Tim's son, after all- but even with all his brilliance, he was still embarrassed to be talking with his parents about sex. Liron, younger than Asher but no less bright, turned to Ziva, confused. Unlike Asher, Liron had never asked questions- it had been too embarrassing, and if anything, Liron was modest, like his father. He'd learned from example; his father hardly ever brought up topics like this, and so neither did Liron. He was curious though, but was too embarrassed to ask. "Snakes? Caves?"

Ziva nodded, unsure of how to respond. She vaguely remembered a similar conversation between her and her mother when she herself was around her son's age, with the same questions. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Tim.

_"Zivaleh, you have to understand, there is going to come a time when a man will want to claim you as his. And he will do it in a very specific way."_ _She furrowed her brow, not fully understanding her mother, but then again, at six, there wasn't a lot the young girl didn't understand. She was exceptionally bright, curious as a cat, and willing to learn anything if she thought it important enough._

_"How Ima?" Rivka sighed; the last thing she wanted to do was explain this to her oldest daughter, and she struggled to think of an easy way to explain intercourse. A moment passed, before she turned her gaze from the porch railing they sat beside. The sight of a snake slithering across the ground caught her eye, and she considered something, slowly turning back to Ziva. _

_"When you meet this man..." She bit her lip. Ziva waited, watching her. "When a woman meets a man that she intends to spend the rest of her life with... there is a certain privilege that men and women share."_

_"What is it?" Rivka glanced back to the ground, watching the snake as it continued across the dirt._

_"When a woman is ready to let a man claim her, they will go to a room for privacy, because privacy is very important. This claiming cannot be done in public. It is a private act between two people." She reached out, taking her daughter's small hand in hers. "They will undress-"_

_"Why?"_

_"Because it is the only way for one person to claim the other. Clothing just gets in the way." The child nodded, filing the information away for later. "There may be kissing and touching involved-"_

_"Why?" Rivka sighed._

_"Because it is something people like to do. May I continue?" Ziva nodded, keeping quiet. "Now, once they are undressed, the man and woman may lay down, they may sit, but either way..." She took a deep breath, a blush beginning to color her cheeks. "Either way, the man's snake will find the woman's cave, and make it his home. But only temporarily." Ziva's brow furrowed. _

_"What is a snake? And caves?" Rivka licked her lips. Then, she reached out, taking her daughter's hands and moving them down to rest below her belly. _

_"Do you see where your hands are resting, Zivaleh?" The child nodded. "Well, that is your cave. All girls have them."_

_"They are inside us?" Rivka nodded, silent. "But... what about snakes?"_

_"Boys have snakes, Zivaleh. And..." She sighed. "And once the couple are undressed and ready, the man will position his snake between the woman's legs and slowly begin to enter her cave. It hurts, but only briefly." _

_"Why does it hurt, Ima?" _

_"Because the snake must remove the boulder in order to gain entrance to the cave. And when the snake does remove the boulder, it breaks, allowing for the snake to enter the cave." She watched her daughter's face, seeing Ziva drink everything in and file it away in that mind of hers. "The only way that a man's snake can enter a woman's cave is if it is ready to strike, and once it does, it takes a while for the snake to enter the cave and get comfortable."_

"Zi." She looked up at Tim; her husband was watching her, worry in his green eyes. "You okay?" She nodded, shaking her head.

_"Ken_, Tim. I... I am fine." She turned back to the boys.

_"There will come a time when a man will want to claim you as his."_ Rivka's words rang in her head, and she realized that her mother had been right._ "When a woman meets the man she intends to spend the rest of her life with, and is ready to let that man claim her, there is a certain privilege that they share."_

Ziva had been ready that night at the Diplomat's Dinner, when she and Tim had snuck off and slept together; Rivka had been spot on. Even though she'd spent the first eight years of her son's life forcefully separated from his father, she was now spending the rest of her life with him; then again, her mother had a_ tendency_ to be right, even from the grave. Taking a deep breath, she studied her sons, before saying,

"There will come a time..."


	24. Chapter 24

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Snakes and _caves_?" Tim raised an eyebrow. He buttoned his shirt as Ziva shimmied her black slacks up her thighs before gently tugging down the nice red top she wore. Then, she pulled the top of her hair back into a bump, before pulling the rest into a low ponytail. Once it was the way she wanted it, she grabbed her grey jacket and pulled it on before slipping into her shoes.

"I was _six_, Tim. It's... the only way _Ima_ could explain it without getting me confused. She gave Tali the same speech, you know. I understood, but it was confusing." Over the last few years, she had slowly started using contractions- mainly when at home with her family- something that made Tim laugh to himself. She was so cautious when she used them; afraid she'd mess them up. Asher had taken to shortening his words faster than his mother had, but he was just as cautious when he spoke. Contractions weren't common in Israel, and so it took both Asher and Ziva some time to get used to the American custom of shortening words.

"And later, when we slept together?" He asked, going to his wife and wrapping his arms around her. The black slacks and grey jacket she wore with the red blouse complimented her dark hair and eyes perfectly. Her makeup was subtle, the black eyeliner illuminating her dark eyes. She chuckled softly, running a hand up his arm and caressing his bicep.

"I understood what she meant. And I enjoyed it immensely." He grinned.

"Good." Before she could say anything else, she found herself laying back on the bed, Tim on top of her. A laugh escaped her throat, and she ran her hands over his back.

"You are quite suprising sometimes, Timothy."

"Is that a good thing?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She laughed, nodding, a smile lighting her eyes.

"_Ken_, it's a very good thing. A... very, very good thing." Gently, she reached up, cradling his face, searching his eyes. "I love you." He whispered it back, making her smile grow, before capturing her lips. But the kiss was short-lived when the bedroom door opened, revealing the boys watching, curious. Tim quickly pulled away and Ziva sat up, giving her sons a small smile. "Sh... shouldn't..." Ziva started, but stopped, thinking.

"Are you two ready for school?" Tim asked. Asher shook his head. Tim raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Because it is the... beginning of spring break. You said we are going up to _Savta_'s tonight, remember, _Abba_? You promised." Tim glanced at Ziva; they'd completely forgotten.

* * *

"... twelve... thirteen... fourteen..." Asher held tight to his father's hand as they entered the bullpen. It was the beginning of spring break for the kids, and after work today, the family would be going up to Nantucket- Penny had a summer home in the countryside near the water, and had invited her family up to the summer house for the week. She'd also invited Tali and Michael to bring the children and come along. Sarah and Damon were also going.

"Fifteen." Tony looked up as Tim entered with his wife and children in tow. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon."

"Way to kick a man when he's down, Probie." Tony replied.

"I cannot wait to hear this, what's going _on_?" Ziva asked, dropping her bag behind her desk and joining Tim at Tony's. Liron and Asher went to their father's desk, but kept their ears open, watching out of the corner of their eyes, and Zipporah followed her mother, latching onto her mother's leg.

"I found fifteen hairs in my shower drain this morning." Tony said, holding out the aforementioned drain. "I tell you this because you're my friends, and I need you. For the past twelve years, every morning, I have counted the hairs in my drain and there have never been more than five._ Never_ _more_ than five._ Never_." Tim and Ziva shared a glance.

"Every day?" Tim asked, disgusted.

"For the last twelve years?" Ziva added.

"You say that like it's not normal."

"Well that is not normal." The boys chuckled, quickly ducking their heads when Tony glared at them, and Ziva knelt down, scooping Zipporah up and settling the little girl on her hip.

"What's not normal is a man of my vim and vigor going bald."

"Well bald can be very sexy." Ziva replied, as Zipporah rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Sure. If you're Connery or Nichloson. Would you ever date a bald man?" Ziva glanced at her husband, being careful to choose her words.

"I have... dated men with thinning hair... yes." Tim turned to her.

"_When?"_ Ziva waved it away, turning back to Tony.

"Thinning hair, but not Baldy McBald." Tony replied, pretending to wax the back of his head. Ziva and Tim shared a look. He picked up his phone. "Hi, Special Agent Baldy McBald here, want to go to Mt. Baldy and do bald things?" He put his phone down. _"Bald!"_

"Tony, you are not going bald." Tim replied, exasperated. He rolled his eyes and went to his desk, gently nudging his children off the chair and pulling over another one. Asher climbed onto the second one, as his father dropped his bag behind his desk.

"Says the man with the merging androgenetic alopecia."

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Tim asked, turning back to his partner.

"You have a little thin patch on your vertex."

"On my what?" The boys turned to their father confused.

"You've got a little of the skin Yakima happening, Tim." Tony replied, rubbing the back of his head. Ziva rolled her eyes, shifting her daughter on her hip. Tim turned to the TV near his desk, one they always kept on, and turned it off.

"I thought I noticed I was getting thin up there." Ziva shook her head, surprised.

"Yeah, everyone's_ noticed_." Tony whispered.

"You two are being_ ridiculous_. Everyone's hair thins, it's _barely noticeable_. And it's not like you guys are going_ grey_." Ziva finished, reaching up with her free hand to scratch behind her neck. Zipporah turned, opening her mouth but only managing to squeak and bury her face in her mother's shoulder. The boys kept quiet, and Tim and Tony instantly shut up. Ziva glanced between her family and the senior agent; she lifted her hand from her neck, palm up before returning to scratching her neck. She stopped however, as though sensing someone behind her, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She turned, finding Gibbs behind her.

"I'm so glad that wasn't me." Tony whispered. Ziva stammered for several seconds, before,

"Grey can be... really sexy." As Gibbs passed by her to go to his desk, phone in ear, Tony whispered to her,

"Lucky." She glared at him before going to her husband and dropping their daughter into his lap once he'd sat down. The little girl looked up at her father, grinning, and Tim pressed a kiss to her head. Ziva leaned down, lips brushing against his ear as she spoke.

"You are not losing your hair, my love, that is just Tony being Tony. Do _not_ let him get to you, Tim." She purred, pressing a kiss to his lips before smacking him gently on the cheek and going to her desk.


	25. Chapter 25

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Ziva had been the first out when she heard the shot. The sight of her husband struggling to his feet, with bite marks in his neck and hand, and the German Shepard laying the porch with a bullet wound in him, and she had tried to figure out in those few short minutes before Tony and Gibbs got there what had happened. Gibbs had sent Tim back to NCIS with the dog, and now, she was sitting beside her husband, positively fuming. Not at the dog, or the situation, but at the Gothic forensic scientist.

"Ziva, can you please stop mothering me? I'm... I'm fine... Ziva! Stop!" He pushed her away gently, and she conceded with a sigh.

"I am just worried about you, Tim." He reached out, taking her hand.

"I know, Zi, and I'm sorry. I just..." He stopped, looking around. "Where are the kids?"

"Gibbs took our children for coffee." Ziva replied, getting up from her perch on his desk. She leaned close. "Are you sure you're okay?" He nodded, accepting her quick kiss, just as Gibbs entered, Zipporah on his hip and the boys following. Asher set a cup on his mother's desk, before doing the same with at his father's. Gibbs headed down to forensics, the boys following, before he stopped.

"You okay, McGee?" Tim glanced at his wife, before turning back to their boss. Zipporah lay her head on Gibbs's shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm okay." Gibbs nodded, as they boys rushed after the older man. They loved going down to the lab, and so rarely got to go down; Tim and Ziva wouldn't allow them to go by themselves.

* * *

Asher's voice was the first to break the quiet in the lab. He let out a gasp, before rushing towards the German Shepard. "A dog!" Liron followed, hearing his brother's shout, and Zipporah tagged along, after Gibbs set the girl on her feet. The two youngest McGee children stopped in the doorway, watching as Asher knelt by the dog and reached out to pat his fur.

"_Doggie_!" Zipporah cried, clapping her hands and following her brother.

"Who's dog is it, Abby?" Asher asked, sitting back on his heels as he petted the animal. Liron soon joined his brother, and Zipporah stumbled, wrapping her small arms around the back of the dog, burying her face in the soft fur. The three children loved going to the park with their parents and seeing the dogs being walked. They always asked the owners if they could pet the animals, and Tim and Ziva had been trying to ignore the constant pestering from their children about getting a pet.

"Who's a good Jethro?" Abby asked, ignoring the oldest boy.

"I'm a good... Jethro." Gibbs answered, lagging behind the children. He watched as his agents' kids fawned over the animal; Zipporah looked up at him from where her head rested against the dog's back. The girl was smiling; she had her mother's smile, all right. He sighed.

"I know, you're here to tell me, 'Abby, don't get too attached to the dog, because he doesn't belong to us and we don't know where the evidence is gonna lead us yet.'"

"Good, then I won't have to tell you." He glanced at the children, who were enjoying the soft fur of the German Shepard. "Abs, the dog belongs in the kennel." Then, he turned to leave. "Come on, kids. Back upstairs."

"_But Mr. Gibbs_-"

"Can we stay, _please_?" Gibbs sighed; if Tim and Ziva found out, they'd kill him, but he consented.

"Fine, but the dog stays in the kennel!"

* * *

Tim and Ziva stepped into the lab, searching for their children. They'd finally closed the case- finding a dog skeleton and discovering a drug smuggling ring as well- and were getting ready to leave for Nantucket. All they wanted to do was leave the "Asher? Liron? Zipporah!" Ziva looked around, turning to her husband. They had a week of comp time up built up and were going to take it to spend the week with Penny. "Let's go! We have got a long drive ahead of us!"

"Oh God. Tim, I found the kids." He joined his wife at the door to Abby's office area, in time to see the kids sitting on the floor, with their arms around the German Shepard. He sighed. "What do we do?" Tim glanced at his wife before stepping into the office and cleared his throat. The children looked up.

"Hi, _Abba_." Asher whispered, nuzzling the dog's soft brown fur. Tim put his hands on his hips.

"What are you three doing? We have to go, we have a long drive before we get to_ Savta's_." Abby sat with the children, scratching behind the dog's ears.

"What's wrong, Abby?" Ziva asked, joining her husband.

"Gibbs asked the base commander if I could keep Jethro." The youngest agent furrowed a brow.

"He said no?"

"He said yes. My landlord said no."

"That's too bad." Tim muttered, turning his attention back to the kids.

"I have to find Jethro a good home. He's a distinguished veteran." She stood, going to Tim and laying her hands on his hsoulders. "He deserves to be happy, McGee." Realizing, Tim shook his head.

"Abby, no, no, _no_."

"The kids told me you've been looking for a dog-" Tim glanced around Abby's shoulder, glaring at his children. Zipporah giggled, burrowing her face further in the dog's soft fur.

"We have not!" Ziva cut in.

"Abby, that dog tasted my blood, and I think he liked it." Tim replied. "We're not taking the dog." Instantly, protests rose from the children. They had all become attached to the dog, and wanted desperately for their parents to agree to let them take the German Shepard home.

"_Please, Abba_!" Liron and Zipporah rushed to their father, tugging on his pants legs with pleading green eyes. Only Asher still sat next to the dog, who lay with his head in the older boy's lap, as the child scratched behind his ears. He knew instantly that his parents would say no; their apartment wasn't big enough for a dog, and neither Tim nor Ziva had the time to train and take care of a pet.

"What if we took care of him,_ Abba_?" Ziva shook her head.

"_No_, Asher-" The boy didn't move, but looked up at his mother.

_"I promise we'll take care of him! Please, Ima! We'll take really good care of him!"_

_"He'll be the bestest dog in the whole world, Abba, please say we can keep him!"_ Liron added, wrapping his arms around his father's waist. Tim stepped back, glancing at his wife. Ziva sighed. They couldn't win when three pairs of green eyes begged and pleaded; after a moment, Tim sighed, nodding.


	26. Chapter 26

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

She watched through the window, as the kids chased Jethro through the backyard. They'd been at Penny's for three days, and the kids had so far enjoyed themselves; even the dog had settled down, seeming now to understand that these three children were his to protect and love, and there to do the same for him. A moment passed, before she felt slender arms slip around her waist and a chin rest on her shoulder. "I _can't_ believe you and Timmy agreed to take that dog." Ziva chuckled, pulling away and glancing over her shoulder to meet her sister-in-law's gaze.

"I know, but the kids... they fell in love with him. They have been wanting a dog, and asking for one and Tim and I have been saying 'no, we cannot afford it', or 'no, our apartment is not reciprocated for a dog-'"

"Equipped." Ziva furrowed a brow. "Equipped for a dog." The older woman nodded. "They seem to really like that dog."

"They love him. So, so much."

"And you and Timmy?" Ziva shrugged.

"We are... warming up to him. He is turning out to not be such a bad dog after all." Both women turned as Penny stepped out onto the porch and called the kids in for dinner. Tali, Michael and Damon helped bring the food to the dining room table, chatting and joking, like people did at family gatherings. As everyone began to gather at the table, Tim's cell rang, and he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Can the call not wait, Tim?" Ziva asked, gently patting his ass as she passed by. Tim waved her away, listening to the person on the other end of the line.

"Now, Boss?... o... okay... we... Zi and I will be... we'll meet you... we'll meet you there..." Ziva looked up from scooping Zipporah into her arms.

"Gibbs called?" She asked, settling their daughter in her chair and brushing a wild strand off her child's forehead with a kiss. "About what?" Tim sighed.

"About... the _U.S.N.S Chimera_. There was a death onboard, and we're to meet him at the Anacostia." Ziva raised her eyebrows.

"Well... can they get another team?" Tim bit his lip.

"It came across Gibbs' desk first." Ziva gripped the back of Zipporah's chair, other hand on her hip. The rest of the group watched in silence.

"We are supposed to be on vacation, Timothy. Do you _not_ understand that?"

"Believe me, Ziva, I_ do_-"

"Does _Gibbs_?" He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets and she swallowed, holding back what she really wanted to call her boss at the moment.

"Zi, I'm sure it won't take that long. We'll get in, figure out who murdered the man, arrest them, and then be back before Saturday." She shook her head, turning to grab something off the counter when he grabbed her arm. She turned back, knife in hand. Tim briefly stepped back, before taking her wrist and gently prying the steak knife out of her hand. He pointed it at her for a moment before setting it in the sink. "Zi, I promise. We'll be back before you know it." A moment passed, before his wife puckered her lips and then turned, storming through the lower floor towards the stairs. Tim sighed as his wife tossed 'bastard' over her shoulder, more at Gibbs than at him.

* * *

They found themselves on the _Chimera_, a ship that appeared to be abandoned in the middle of the ocean. Ziva looked around. "Boss, I don't have a real good feeling about this." Tim said, following Gibbs, Ziva joining them and latching onto Tim's hand, with Tony bringing up the rear behind Ducky. As they moved through the ship, they found it abandoned, as if the crew had left in a hurry, leaving clothing, playing cards, food, where they were, as though they'd been ordered from the ship.

A ghost ship.

As the trio made their way towards the cargo hold, Ziva took Tim's hand, squeezing. She looked around as they stepped inside. "Someone or something is on this ship. With us. I can feel it." She turned to her husband as Tim and Tony walked about the space of the cargo hold. Tim saw genuine fear in his wife's eyes. "Shh! Did you hear that?"

"No." The two men replied in unison, following her through the cargo hold.

"There's something aboard. _Other_ than a_ rat_." She said, referencing how Tony had jumped at the rat scurrying across a box past the senior agent.

"What do your... astute other-than-former-Mossad senses tell you it is?" Tony asked. Tim rolled his eyes, as Ziva's gaze shifted around, ears peeled for the slightest sound.

"In Mossad, part of the training is to be open to things you cannot see... or even understand." She said, continuing on, the guys following.

"You mean the supernatural, Zi?"

"Call it what you want, not everything can be explained by the laws of the natural world."

"You believe in ghosts?" Tony asked.

"I do not _not_ believe in ghosts." Ziva replied, glancing back at her husband quickly; she reached behind her, taking his hand and squeezing but refused to let go. "Or demons. Or monsters. We_ are_ on a ship called _The Chimera_."

"_Chimera_ meant delusion or fantasy." Tim added. Ziva nodded, squeezing his fingers.

"In Greek mythology, a chimera is a monster with a lion's head, a goat's body and a dragon's tail."

"So you think they named the ship_ The Chimera_ because there's a monster on board."

"They did not name it _the puppy_." Ziva replied, stopping at the next noise. Slowly, she reached out, reaching for the door handle. But it opened before she could grab it; Gibbs stood before them.

"Boo." The trio jumped, and Gibbs turned, motioning for them to follow.


	27. Chapter 27

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"We could be dead before morning." Ziva swallowed, squeezing Tim's hand. She and Tim had been sent to search the ship while Gibbs, Ducky and Tony worked on trying to find more clues on the body of Dr. Takada- the body they found in plastic in the ship's freezer. "We could never see our children again." She turned to Tim, biting her lip. Gently, he reached up, stroking her cheek with his thumb. She reached up, pressing his palm to her cheek. "I do not want to die this way, Tim." He reached up, cradling her face in his hands.

"We're not gonna die like this, Zi. We'll get out of this-"

"In body bags."

"No,_ alive_, Ziva." He whispered, pressing a kiss quickly to her lips, as Gibbs and Tony joined them. She turned, pressing kisses to the palm of each hand before letting Tim pull away.

"Anyone else feeling itchy?" Tony asked, following Gibbs down the stairs towards his partners. He had one sleeve pushed up to examine a spot on his arm. "I think that's a bug bite."

"Or a rat bite." Tim replied, as Tony joined them. He shoved his arm under Ziva's nose.

"No. Look at that spot." Ziva glanced at it, before pulling away from her husband and turning around in circles.

"It's a freckle." She replied.

"It's not a freckle." Tony snapped. Tim rolled his eyes and began searching the nooks and crannies with a quick kiss to his wife's head.

"Freckle."

"Never had a freckle there."

"You've_ always_ had that _freckle_."

"Ah... how would you know whether I had a freckle or didn't have a freckle? And by the way, _I've never had that freckle_!" As Gibbs called Ducky and asked him to explain the symptoms of hemorrhagic fever, Ziva turned, catching sight of something in the hall. She rushed off.

"Ziva?" Tim took after his wife, causing Gibbs and Tony to look up.

_"Ziva! Tim!"_ Gibbs followed, Tony behind him. As Ziva neared the center hallway, she turned in place in trying to figure out which hallway whatever she'd seen had gone down. She turned as Tim joined her, Gibbs and Tony bringing up the rear.

"Zi, what the hell were you thinking?" He demanded, suddenly worried at the look in her eye.

"Didn't you see that, Tim?"

"See what?" He asked, as Gibbs and Tony looked around.

"Someone... something was running. Surely I'm not the only one who saw that." She said, as the three men stared at her.

"The Chimera?" Tony asked.

"I swear, there was something there." She replied, meeting her husband's gaze.

"Not here now, Zi." Tim replied.

"It ran down the passage, made a right _here_," She pointed to the far doorway. "and then it..."

"And then?" Tim asked.

"And then it disappeared. I _know_ there was something there."

"_Like my freckle_." Tony snapped.

* * *

She took a deep breath, leaning against her husband's shoulder. They'd managed to escape the ship, taking the Russian's boat just in time. Now, she and Tim sat on the edge of the boat, feet firmly on the ground, holding onto the rails behind them. All the paranoia had been brought on by an injected virus; the guy had been caught, and a trap laid for them to get off the decaying ship.

"I am just happy to get back to my babies soon." Ziva said, brushing a strand of windswept hair out of her eyes. Tim met her gaze with a smile, and reached down with one hand, gently caressing the inside of her thigh with a squeeze. She returned his smile, reaching down to cover his hand with hers, lacing their fingers.

"So am I, Zi." He replied, leaning close and kissing her. She accepted the kiss, pulling away quickly before returning for a double kiss. Once it broke, she laid her head on his shoulder.

"They weren't pirates?" Ziva asked.

"Soviet State sponsored pirates." Ducky replied. "But why?" Tim got up, lifting the lid of the case they had with them.

"Russian nuclear warhead?" Ziva asked, as Tim returned to his seat beside his wife. He returned his hand to his wife's thigh; Ziva laced their hands, squeezing gently.

"There's your ghost, Ziva." Gibbs replied, glancing at the couple. "The ghost of Soviet Project K Six-Two-Nine."

"So pirates that weren't really pirates were actually Russian sailors were on a covert mission to steal a Navy research ship that wasn't actually a Navy research ship, in order to get back nuclear weapons that we thought they didn't think we had retrieved?" Tim asked. Gibbs nodded. He shrugged. "Okay." He turned his attention back to his wife. "Told you we'd be home soon."

She grinned, leaning close. "_Ken_, you were right." She conceded, taking his lips in a soft kiss. Tony chuckled softly, watching his partners become lost in each other. They deserved this; Gibbs had pulled them from their family vacation in Nantucket for this case, so they deserved a little time to themselves. As the other three men pretended to ignore the young couple, the shriek of something flying through the air brought their attention back. Tim pulled away from his wife, attention diverted to the ship they were leaving behind. "How did they know we were off the ship?" The team watched in silent surprise as The Chimera exploded from the missiles the Air Force dropped on it.

"Don't think they did." Gibbs replied.

* * *

Liron rushed to the door, hearing the key in the lock. "_Abba! Ima! You're back_!" Tim caught his youngest son as he walked through the door. Penny had sat up with Asher and his siblings, waiting for their parents.

"They didn't want to go to bed until they were certain you were back." Penny said, going to her grandson and granddaughter-in-law. "Are you okay?" Ziva nodded.

"Gibbs is giving us an extra day as an apology for taking us away for this case." The older woman gave her a small smile, gently caressing her cheek. She yawned. "And right now, all I want to do is sleep."


	28. Chapter 28

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Ziva, can I talk to you?" The former Israeli looked up, as Sarah joined her in Penny's kitchen. She watched as her sister-in-law stirred the cake mix with a wooden spoon, becoming lost in the lulling motion before Ziva's voice snapped her back to reality.

"What about, Sarah?" The youngest McGee sibling took a deep breath and held out her hand. She watched her sister-in-law's dark eyes flick to it briefly before returning to her work. "It is a very beautiful ring, Sarah, where did you get it?"

"Damon gave it to me." Ziva nodded, reaching for a measuring cup.

"That's-" She stopped, dropping the cup in the batter and grabbing Sarah's hand. Silently, she brought it close to her face, studying the ring on Sarah's finger, before meeting her eyes. "He proposed?" Sarah nodded, struggling to hold back a squeal. "Oh Sarah, _Mazel Tov_!" She wrapped her arms around her sister-in-law, pressing a kiss to the dark curls. "When?"

"Last night, after dinner. We went for a walk on the beach." Sarah swallowed, as Ziva took her hands. "We told everyone last night, before you got back, but... but I wanted to tell you and Timmy separately, because your opinion matters most. Damon's going to talk to Timmy, he wants my brother's blessing. It's important to him." Gently, Ziva reached up, taking the younger woman's face in her hands.

"You have mine. I promise, Sarah, you have mine. And if I have too,_ I_ will talk to that pig-headed husband of mine for you." She pulled away, returning her attention to the cake mix. "Let me just put this in and set the timer and then I will take you to Tim. I think he is out on the beach with the kids."

* * *

Damon took a deep breath, watching from the stone steps leading from Penny's property to the sandy beach as Tim scooped his youngest son up and dumped him in the water. He couldn't help the chuckle as the kids overtook their father, clambering onto him and pushing him into the water. He watched as the Junior agent shook his head as he got up, shaking the water from his hair.

No, not just Junior Agent. Someday, his brother-in-law, if he agreed to Damon's request. Pushing himself away from the steps, Damon headed towards the young father; Zipporah clung to her father's back, arms around his neck, her wet hair clinging to her father's back as she rested her head against his shoulder. The boys followed, laughing and joking with their cousins. Tim gave the older man a small smile, adjusting his old on his daughter's legs.

Tim was certainly trim and well-built. No wonder Ziva hadn't seemed to be able to keep her hands off him this entire vacation. Yes, he was pale, but a few days in the sun would change that. "Hey. Want to join? I could use a little help in getting these royal terrors to behave." The boys protested, and Damon chuckled.

"Actually, Tim, I was wondering if we could talk. Man-to-man?" Tim studied him for a moment, and Damon felt as though he were about to be pushed before the firing squad. Those green eyes Sarah and her brother possessed bore into him, studying silently. After several long seconds, Tim nodded, shifting his hold on Zipporah.

"Sure. Let me just get rid of this little spider monkey." Damon watched, as somehow, Tim shifted the little girl until he was holding his daughter in front of him, her legs wrapped around his waist, arms still around her father's neck. "I have to talk to Mr. Damon for a few minutes okay, Zip?" The child shook her head. "No? I don't get to?" Again, the girl shook her head, grinning. "Well, that is not up to you, sweetheart." She whispered softly to her father, and Tim chuckled. "You go right ahead and tell _Ima_. I'm sure she'll side with me." The child pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

As he set her down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, before pushing her in the direction of her brothers. "You stay with your brothers, Zip!" Damon watched the child rush off to join her siblings and cousins, as Tim stood and grabbed a towel. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Damon bit his lip, and Tim nodded. "Come on." He quickly gathered his things, before turning back to the children. His sharp whistle caught their attention, and they all turned. "Asher, you and your siblings listen to Tali _Doda_, understand?" The older boy nodded.

"_Ken, Abba_!" Then, Tim led Damon back up the steps towards the house, just as Ziva and Sarah were coming down. Ziva didn't bother hiding the look in her eyes as she let her gaze wander up and down the length of her husband's body. She grinned. "We've been looking for you." Tim raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat, causing his wife to jump in surprise. "Sarah wants to talk."

"So does Damon." Tim replied. "Let me just go get dressed and then we can talk, okay?" The three nodded, and Ziva watched her husband go, enjoying the view.

* * *

When Tim came back into the spacious backyard, he found Sarah, Damon and his wife sitting in the small outdoor alcove. Ziva was nestled in the swing, engaged in a hefty conversation with Damon, but she stopped when she saw Tim make his way towards them. "So you wanted to talk, Werth?" Tim asked, hands on his hips. Damon nodded.

"If we could talk in private-" Tim nodded, leading the younger man away from the backyard. They returned to the beach, watching as the kids had fun in the sand and surf.

"What do you want to talk about?" Damon took a deep breath. He'd gone over what he was going to say in his head numerous times, but now that he actually had to say it...

"I proposed to Sarah last night, and she accepted. But..." He bit his lip. "But I want your blessing, before we start to make plans for the wedding. I want to know that you're okay with my marrying your sister, Tim." The agent's eyebrows rose in surprise, and Damon heard himself choke on a nervous cough.

"You... you want to marry my sister?" Damon nodded. He watched the emotions flash over Tim's face, before the agent headed back up the steps, lost in thought.


	29. Chapter 29

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Both women looked up as Tim came back into the yard. "Tim? What's wrong?"

"Timmy?" Sarah glanced at Ziva, before turning as Damon followed soon after, shaking his head. She turned back to her brother. "_Why couldn't you just say yes_, _Timmy?_ It's _one simple word_! You said it when Ziva proposed, and she said it when you proposed! _Why couldn't you say it to me_?" Tears gathered in the younger woman's eyes, and after a moment, Ziva rushed after her husband.

She found him upstairs in the bathroom connected to their room, leaning against the sink. He took several deep breaths, but refused to look at her. "Tim?"

"He proposed to her last night, Zi."

"I know." She replied, going to him and rubbing his back.

"And she said yes."

"I know." Ziva sighed, as Tim pulled away from her and returned to the bedroom, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She followed, sitting beside him. "Tim, is it the proposal that's upsetting you, or the fact that Damon's asked for your blessing? Or is it because of how close you and Sarah are, and you are afraid of losing that bond you share? That all abused siblings share?"

He took a deep breath, not meeting her gaze. Slowly, she reached down, slipping her hand to caress the inside of his thigh with a gentle squeeze as she leaned against him, resting her chin on his shoulder. He took a deep breath. "I can't help thinking that he'll hurt her, Zi. Like the way our parents hurt us. I just... I can't..."

"But he won't, Tim you know that. Damon loves Sarah. Deeply." She leaned close and pressed a kiss to his jawline. "Just like I love you." She pulled away, meeting his gaze. "He will not hurt her, Timothy. He would never dream of hurting her, just as I would never dream of hurting you. Damon couldn't bear it."

"And how do you know?" He asked. A smile tugged at her lips.

"Because the way he looks at her? It is the way I look at you. Or the way Michael looks at Tali. Complete and absolute love, like if the world blew up today, he would be okay with it, as long as he had her. And I know, because when I look at you, I feel the same. Nothing matters in this world except you and our children." She nuzzled close, laying her head on his shoulder. "We could resign from NCIS tomorrow and run off to a foreign country and I would be just fine as long as I had you and our babies with me. Don't you trust me?"

Tim sighed. "I do, Zi, it's just..." He turned to meet her gaze. "She's my baby sister, Ziva."

"And Tali is mine. But that does not mean I dictate everything she does. I know you are particular about who she dates; I know it is because of what you went through as children, but Tim, _baby_," She reached up, taking his face in her hands. "Sarah has found a _good man_. Damon loves her, he will protect her, and make her happy. Just as you make me happy. And some day, they will have babies and you will be Uncle Tim to them. And they will love you, just as Esther and Benjamin do." She shifted closer, searching his face, seeing a thousand emotions within those green eyes she loved so.

"Ziva-"

"Damon will be good to her, you know he will be._ Baby please_," She reached down, lifting his shirt to reveal the scar in his side. Gently, her fingers traced it, before she met his eyes. "no one can hurt you anymore. No one can hurt any of us anymore. You can color your flowers yellow, sweetheart." She gently brushed a finger over the scar on his cheek, before pressing a kiss to the skin. "Sarah already has. Now you need to." Then, she got up, leaving him alone.

* * *

Tim took a deep breath. Everyone had gathered outside for dinner, enjoying the early evening air. As he made his way down the steps to the backyard, he saw Sarah sitting with Ziva in the small alcove, talking. Ziva had her hand resting gently on Sarah's knee, and the younger woman was crying. They both looked up; Ziva shot her husband a look that said he needed to accept it. Sarah turned away quickly and buried her face in Ziva's shoulder. Licking his lips, Tim turned to Damon, who was talking with Michael. "Damon, we need to talk."

Once the two were alone, Tim turned to the man his wife had at one time been enamored with. "Look, I get it, Tim, you don't trust you, you don't like me, and you don't like the fact that I'm in a relationship with Sarah, but-" Tim held up a hand.

"Has Sarah told you about our childhood?" The question so startled Damon that he struggled to think of something to say. Eventually, though, he stammered,

"Um... she... she told... a... a little..." Tim nodded, and then quickly unbuttoned his shirt. "What are you doing?" Without a word, he shrugged the shirt off and turned around, revealing the tattoo covering the scars on his back. Damon felt his stomach drop at the sight of the welt-like scars on the other man's back.

"The majority of these were from the day Ziva's father caught us in bed together, the night we conceived Asher. He shoved me into a mirror, and when _my_ father found out, he beat me with a fireplace poker. I've spent my entire life taking Sarah's punishments at the hands of our parents because I couldn't bear to see her get hurt. She's my baby sister, it's my job to protect her." He pulled his shirt back onto his shoulders and buttoned it as he turned back to face Damon. "But it's not my job anymore. Not as much as it was. It's my job to protect _my_ wife and children... and yes, Sarah also, but... but she is not my top priority." He took a deep breath.

"Tim-" But the other man cut him off.

"I need to know, that you will follow _every single word_ of your vows, and that you will do everything in your power to protect Sarah. Because if I find out, that you've laid a hand on my baby sister in _any way_ that _looks_ like the abuse we went through, I will make_ sure_ that_ you_ are the next resident on Ducky's autopsy table. Are we _clear_?" Damon chuckled softly.

"I wouldn't dare lay a hand on Sarah, Tim. She means too much for me to throw away a love like hers. I love her." Tim nodded.

"I know." Damon studied him.

"So... does that mean..." Tim held out a hand.

"Welcome to the family, Werth."

* * *

Sarah took a deep breath and pulled away when Tim and Damon returned. She sniffled, refusing to look at her brother. Ziva broke the silence. "Tim?" He gave her a soft smile and turned to his baby sister.

"So when's the wedding?" Sarah's head snapped up as the words registered in her head.

"Really, Timmy?" He nodded, and she launched herself at him. "_Oh, Timmy, thank you_!" Tim chuckled, squeezing her gently.

"Just promise me one thing, Sar." He said, pulling away. She waited. "Wait a couple years to have kids, okay?" She chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek before going to Damon. Tim took a seat beside his wife on the swing. She snuggled close, slipping a hand to gently caress the inside of his thigh. As she lay her head on his shoulder, she whispered,

"I am proud of you, Tim." He grinned, pressing a kiss to her head. "What made you change your mind?" He met her gaze.

"Hope." He whispered, though the word sounded suspiciously like, 'You.' He grinned, his smile mirroring hers as he leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep kiss.


	30. Chapter 30

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Guest for reviewing 21, 23 and 29; Reader for reviewing 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29.**

Ziva stretched, feeling Tim snuggle closer, nuzzling into her chest. She grinned, stretching her arms over her head before wrapping them around his shoulders. Her gaze slid to the clock, and she turned her gaze back to her husband.

Five past zero three hundred.

Gently, her fingers began to stroke through the soft strands of his hair, and she pressed a soft kiss to his head. A soft chuckle escaped her throat, and she watched the man in her arms. Tony often made fun of them- especially Tim- for being affectionate and sensitive to each other, but Tim had quickly learned from Ziva to take Tony's teasing in stride. The older man did care, the teasing was just his way of showing them how important they were to him. She sighed, content.

Only Tim truly knew Ziva's façade; sure, tough and strong on the outside, with the rest of the team, but when she was alone with him...

_"Honestly, Probie, I don't see how you can be so affectionate with Ziva when she's so... prickly." _

_"She's not prickly, Tony."_

Her mind drifted to the conversation she'd overheard when she'd slipped into the men's locker room at the gym at NCIS one afternoon after a workout. Tony and Tim hadn't noticed her enter, and she'd hid behind a corner to listen when she realized that _she_ was the topic of conversation.

_"Uh, I hate to break it to ya, Probie, but you married a cactus." Tim had rolled his eyes._

_"You don't know the Ziva, I do, Tony. She's..." He'd sighed, thinking. "She's a cuddler, my wife. An absolute cuddler... just with me or our children."_

Tim was right. The nights she loved the most were when they lay in bed together, curled in each others' arms. Often times, he'd hold her against him, arms tight around her waist, face buried in her neck. Her mind flashed to something she'd read in one of Sarah's _Cosmo_ magazines:

_"'He's a really physical person who enjoys the feeling of your form against his, and he may have a high sex drive as well," says Nelson. "But while he truly enjoys the contact of cuddling, he might not be as comfortable expressing himself emotionally.'"_

She snorted softly. While Tim did love to curl with his body around hers, he wasn't just a spooning man. Other times, she'd lay on his chest- especially after a night of sex- and trace circles on her back. The article had said that laying against his chest was a way of showing you that he could protect you, and Ziva didn't doubt it. Though Ziva was perfectly capable of protecting herself, she liked knowing that Tim could protect her if she needed it. Her Tim was sensitive, especially when it involved cases centered around children, and usually after such cases, they would spend their nights on the sofa, Tim stretched out with his head in her lap, talking quietly.

He sighed contentedly in his sleep, nuzzling further into her breasts, and she chuckled, tangling her fingers in his hair before moving her other hand down to gently caress the skin of his back. She loved the tattoo he'd had done, but hated the scars he'd received as a result of their long-ago tryst. But they were a part of him, and she knew, that if he ever had them removed, the scars would take away a part of her husband that she loved. He had received the scars that day as he protected her, and their son, by standing up to his father.

After a moment, she gently shifted him off of her and got up, turning back to press a kiss to his head. Then, she slowly got dressed and slipped out of the room, heading downstairs and outside to the beach for a run. Music in, she took off, becoming lost in the lyrics to Shakira's_ Whenever, Wherever_.

* * *

She stopped on the stairs, hearing the voices. Glancing around, she found herself alone, and continued down the stairs, coming to the living room. And then she laid eyes on her brother and his wife. They were on the sofa, Tim laying stretched out with his head in Ziva's lap. Hiding behind the corner, Sarah watched as Ziva gently stroked her brother's hair off his forehead, a sweet smile on her face. Tim had reached up and was playing with the fingers of her other hand, lacing their hands and unlacing them, twisting her wedding ring and rubbing his thumb against her knuckles. Their voices were soft; a private conversation between two people, and Sarah felt bad for eavesdropping, but she was fascinated.

Tim's whole relationship with Ziva fascinated her. They were like oil and water, and yet, seemed to be cut from the same exact cloth. How could two people, from two completely different childhoods, have so much in common? Sure, they shared a son long before they'd been married, but still... the patterns of abuse Ziva and Tim suffered from two completely different forms of abuse- his mainly physical and hers mainly emotional- and in Sarah's mind, that would turn the two off from each other, despite Asher. But in reality, it only brought the couple closer.

Then again, now that she thought about it,_ everything_ about Ziva fascinated her.

She was so unlike anyone Sarah knew, from the way she acted to the way she dressed, to the way she spoke and her personality...

Yes, Ziva was a puzzle. Good thing Sarah liked puzzles.

Clearing her throat, Sarah stepped into the living room, in time to see Ziva lean down and take her brother's lips in hers, their hands laced together loosely. Tim sighed into the kiss, gently brushing his thumb over her knuckles. She couldn't help the smile as she watched Ziva slowly pull away before leaning down again and stealing another long, loving kiss. No matter their differences, their opposite personalities, they belonged together in every way; Sarah saw that now.

But that still didn't mean that Ziva wasn't a puzzle that Sarah didn't need to solve. She was gonna figure out the mystery of her sister-in-law if it killed her. _Before_ Ziva killed her for prying.

She looked up as Tali came into the room, headed for the stairs, hair dripping wet from a day at the beach. She stopped, turning back to see her sister and brother-in-law on the sofa, lost in each others' kiss. The young midwife opened her mouth to speak, stopped, and seemed to think about it before turning and heading up the stairs. Sarah watched her go.

"Okay, make that two. Your sister's just as puzzling as you are, Ziva." She muttered, leaving the living room and heading for the backyard. She turned back, watching as Ziva finally pulled away and grinned, nose wrinkling. Tim chuckled softly, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her wedding ring. Subconsciously, Sarah touched her own ring, before heading to the backyard.


	31. Chapter 31

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

_"What do you mean Gibbs is on the goat?"_ Ziva screeched. She and Tim had returned from Nantucket the day before, and this morning, when they arrived at the bullpen, they found Gibbs gone, and had just spent the last half hour listening to Tony explain what had happened- including Gibbs becoming a fugitive- and neither could believe it.

"Not goat, Zi." Tim corrected gently. She glared at her husband.

"Okay, sheep."

"Nope."

"Do you mind telling me then?" She asked, turning to him. Tim glanced at Tony.

"Lam." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Without the 'b'." A moment passed, before he turned to Tony. "You said this guy was with the CIA?" Tony nodded.

"He's looking to make his career and using Gibbs as the scapegoat."

"And us?" Ziva asked. Tony sighed, glancing between the couple. He shouldn't tell them; all they'd do is worry.

"And he... is looking to take us down with Gibbs. And the agency is not-"

"NCIS is turning their backs on us?" She whispered. Tony nodded, silently. "But... _why?"_

"Because we're Gibbs' team, and we helped him skirt the law over the years." He met Tim's gaze. "I shouldn't have told you. You have the kids to worry about, and your-"

"And we're your partners, Tony. We're a team. We stick together." Tim replied.

* * *

He took a deep breath. How did he tell Sarah that he was resigning from NCIS? That he'd made a mistake, and had a responsibility, and that they may not be there for her wedding? She and Damon had decided on a small wedding, in a week's time, on a day that the team was off rotation, so that they could all be there. But now, as Tim watched his baby sister step out in the wedding dress she'd chosen, he had a sick feeling that he wouldn't be able to keep his promise about walking her down the aisle.

A week had passed; a week of interrogations by that jackass Parsons, a week of their lives being combed through, picked apart, a week of nerve-wracking one-on-one interrogations by the bastard. A week that would end in the matter of twenty-four hours. It had been a week that had shown just how NCIS could turn on its agents- by letting the CIA rip them apart. He shook his head, not wanting to think of that now.

She turned to him. "What do you think?"

The dress Sarah had picked was the furthest from his wife's dress- where Ziva's had just graced her knees, Sarah's fell to her ankles, where Ziva's had been strapless, Sarah's had spaghetti straps- but was no less beautiful on her. And at this, her final fitting, Sarah had asked Tim to ask Ducky if they could use his backyard for the wedding. He gave her a small smile, but Sarah picked up on the sadness in her brother's eyes. "Timmy? What's wrong? Is it the dress?"

He shook his head. "It's not the dress, Sar." He whispered. She removed the veil and lifted the skirt, stepping off the small podium and going to her brother.

"Then what is it? Timmy, you're scare... you're scaring me. Please, talk to me." He glanced at Ziva, who sat beside Tali, her eyes reflecting the same sadness. He shook his head.

"Nothing. You look beautiful." He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and turned to Ziva. "I'm gonna go pick up the kids. I'll see you at home?" She nodded, silent. But when he turned, Sarah grabbed his hand.

"Tim... what's going on?" Tears were in her green eyes, and he sighed. "Please. We used to tell each other everything, why are you hiding secrets now?"

"Sarah, Ziva and I... we may not make it to the wedding. I'm sorry." She looked between the two, not understanding.

"I don't understand. Why not? Is it Gibbs? Is... is he making you work?" Ziva shook her head, clearing her throat.

"No, Sarah. Gibbs is not there anymore. And soon, we will not be either." Sarah turned to her sister-in-law, struggling to make sense of Ziva's words. After a moment, not caring about the dress, she went to Ziva, sitting beside her.

"What do you mean, Ziva? What do you mean Gibbs isn't there anymore? And that you won't be either?" Ziva stayed silent. "Why won't you talk to me? Ziva, tell me, please!"

"Sarah," She turned back to her brother. "we're being investigated by the CIA- the team is. This guy... he's determined to bring us all down, and NCIS... they've turned their back on Gibbs, and us, so we're gonna accept our mistakes before he has a chance to destroy us. We don't have a choice." She rushed to her brother, throwing her arms around his neck.

"But you love NCIS, Tim." She whispered, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"But I love you and my family more." He replied, pulling away from her. She sniffled.

"When are you going to resign?" He met Ziva's eyes.

"Tomorrow, after work." She watched the looks pass between her siblings, her mind coming to a conclusion.

"Then we'll have the wedding tomorrow, after you get off work." She turned to her brother, going to him. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up into his eyes. Her brother and sister-in-law carried the weight of the world on their shoulders at the moment, and if she could do something- one small thing- to take their minds off the decision they were making, then she was going to take that chance, and lessen their burden, if even for a few hours. "So that you can give me away, like you promised, Timmy." She buried her face in his chest, sobbing, as Tim's arms wrapped around her.


	32. Chapter 32

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Sarah looked up; she'd called and asked Tim to meet her for coffee before work. Now, she watched as her brother quickly looked around and then made his way to the table. She got up, wrapping him in a hug before sitting down and pushing the extra cup across to him. "I know what you like." He chuckled, but Sarah could see the well of emotions in her brother's gaze.

"What's wrong, Timmy?" He met her gaze, swallowing.

"Sarah, you don't have to push the wedding up because of us-"

"We have everything we need, Tim. And the people that matter most to us." She reached out, taking his hand and squeezing. "Ducky agreed to let us use his house... and it's not going to be anything fancy, you know that's not me. But it's going to have everyone Damon and I care about, and that's what's important. And that includes you, giving me away."

He sighed, pulling away from her and subconsciously twisting his own wedding ring. He thought a moment, before,

"Ziva and I... we're resigning, because we can't run anymore. We don't_ want_ to run anymore. We need to take responsibility for our own mistakes before it destroys us. Sarah," He wrapped his hands around the cup, and Sarah found herself studying the ring on her brother's hand. After a moment, she reached out, taking his hand and pulling it close, to study the ring. The bands of green marble and Eliat were striking against the gold; she knew that Ziva's ring was exactly the same, and that the rings represented the two halves of a whole- the two lives now one with her brother's marriage. "We've helped Gibbs get away with too much over the years."

"But your one of the top teams at NCIS."

"I know, but after Eli's death... this.. Parsons has decided that he's going to take not only Gibbs down but the entire agency with him. And NCIS... they can't risk going down, so..."

"So they've decided to throw you all under the bus." Sarah whispered, lacing her fingers with her brother's. He nodded.

"We're resigning, to protect our kids, Sarah. Asher, and Liron and Zipporah come first, they are more important than any job." She gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand.

"I know, Timmy."

* * *

"We don't have to do this." Ziva looked up, meeting Tim's gaze. They knew better than anyone; they didn't have to slip away that night at the Diplomat's dinner, but they had anyway; they didn't have to sleep together, but they had, and they'd conceived Asher; they didn't have to move in together when Ziva showed up all those years ago; they didn't have to get married, have Liron and Zipporah, but they had. She reached across her desk, for her husband's hand. He took her small hand in his, squeezing gently.

"I think we do."

"Gibbs would do the same for us." Tim added. Tony sighed.

"You may not like how this ends, Ziva, Tim." She glanced at her husband, thinking.

"I have never depended on happy endings."

"Our lives haven't exactly been fairytales, Tony." Tim added, removing his badge from his belt. He studied the gold badge; it had been behind his mantra for years, it had been the one constant in his young life as a rookie agent, when he was stationed in Norfolk. It had been the thing that had kept him grounded when Ziva had shown up and told him he had a son. It had been his refuge those long days after Ziva was sent back to Israel, after he'd drop the boys off at school and could bury himself in his work, trying not to think about the woman he'd loved and lost. It had been the one thing- besides Ziva- he'd depended on to make him forget that his childhood had been filled and shaped by physical abuse and neglect.

And now, at his choice, it was ending.

He glanced at his wife. "Ready, Zi?" She nodded, getting up as she removed her own badge. As she took his hand, Tim pulled her in for a kiss, and Tony rolled his eyes. When Tim finally pulled away and headed up the stairs, Tony grabbed Ziva's elbow, stopping her.

"Hey, if you two find that you need anything-" She met his gaze. A quick search of his face revealed the worry he had for his partners. After a moment, she reached up, taking his face in her hands. "It's sweet that you care. _Toda_." She sighed, searching his eyes and finding what she was looking for. "But Tim and I..." She glanced back at the stairs, Tim stood on the catwalk, waiting for them. She gave her husband a small smile. "We will be okay, Tony. I promise."

Then, she turned and rushed up the stairs to join Tim. After a moment, Tony followed. They let Tony take the lead into Vance's office. The director looked up as the three agents stood at attention at his desk. "You three have something to say?"

Tim and Ziva were the first to set their badges down, watching for Vance's reaction as Tony removed his badge from his belt and set it beside the couple's.

* * *

The wedding was small, an intimate gathering between friends and family. They had decorated the winding staircase in Mallard Manor and everyone Sarah cared about was there. And, like she'd wanted, Tim had given her away. Now though, Sarah lay her head on her brother's shoulder, as they swayed gently to the music playing. "I love you, Timmy." He chuckled.

"I love you too, Sar." She snuggled closer, the worry over what her brother and sister-in-law would do now weighing heavily on her mind.

"What are you going to do now?" Tim pulled away to look at his baby sister.

"Let's not discuss this now, Sarah." She opened her mouth to speak, but Tim pressed a kiss to her head. "Congratulations, Sarah. I'm so proud of you."


	33. Chapter 33

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Yes, this is the _start_ of Season 11...**

**Thanks to puppypants for reviewing 31 and Reader for reviewing 30 and 31.**

She awoke the next morning, at oh-two-hundred. After coming home from Sarah's wedding, they'd put the children to bed and then spent the night making love, screaming each others' names as their souls became one. Silently, Ziva sat up, being careful not to wake her husband. Once she climbed out of bed and got dressed, she woke the kids, asking them to silently and quickly get dressed, before returning to the bedroom. Tim still hadn't stirred, and she sat beside him on the bed, running her fingers through his hair.

She hated to do this. Hated the mere thought of walking away, but felt she had no choice; not right now. She had things to straighten out first, a past she needed to confront and bury, and she couldn't do it here. She needed to be there. And discovering the threat on her life- as well as the threat on Tim and Tony's lives- thanks to the Brotherhood of Doubt, just made things worse.

But everything was in order now; the plane tickets bought and the flight planned...

And her heart breaking.

_You have to protect your children, you have no choice._ She shook her head, sending the thought flying. Tim was a good man, a good protector, a good father, he deserved to...

"_Ima_?" She turned, Asher stood in the doorway, watching. Quickly brushing the tears away, she asked,

"Are you packed?" He nodded. "And your brother and sister?" Again, he nodded. "Wait in the living room, my angel. I will be there soon." Once he was gone, she turned back to her husband. Tim was sound asleep, unaware of the heartbreak that would soon surround his life. She choked on a sob, moving closer and reaching out and brushing her fingers over his forehead. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

She had always been irrational when it came to the ones she loved; acting before considering the consequences. She thought, that by now, she'd have outgrown it, but... but it was a part of her personality. She was stuck with it. Taking a deep breath, she let her mind drift back to the night before.

_"You're so beautiful... how did I get so lucky?" She grinned, reaching up and pushing his shirt off his shoulders and pulling him closer, allowing him to help her out of her lace boy shorts._ _She pushed him back onto the bed, straddling his waist. Her hands moved over his chest, and she grinned in excitement. As she lowered herself onto him, she felt her heart begin to speed up. She knew this would possibly be the last time they would make love..._

She turned back to him, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. Sniffling, she leaned close, nuzzling against his cheek as she tried to control her emotions. It wasn't fair, but she had to do this, to protect him. The sooner she was away, the safer he would be. And the children... the last thing she wanted, was for them to be caught in the crossfire. Her tears slipped onto his cheeks, and she choked on a sob, gently pressing a kiss to his cheek as she stroked a hand through his hair. She had been separated from him before, and it had nearly killed her...

"I am so sorry." She sniffled. "I am so absolutely sorry... But you have to understand, this is... this is for your good..." She took a deep breath. "I can't risk you getting hurt, or... or our children being caught in the crossfire... I cannot live without you, but I _have too_..." Again, she choked on a sob, reaching up to brush the tears away. "But it's only for a little while. Just for a little while, Tim, I _promise_." She swallowed thickly, gently brushing her fingers through his hair again and pressing another kiss to his cheek. "I am so sorry, baby, so, so sorry. But I have no choice... Remember that I love you, and that our children love you, and that we'll be home soon. That's a promise." She quickly glanced at the clock, realizing that they had to leave otherwise they'd miss their flight. She pressed another kiss to his cheek, nuzzling into him, soft sobs wracking her body. "I love you, Tim._ I love you so very much, baby."_

Then, she sat up and quickly removed her necklace, draping it over the photograph of them on the nightstand before getting up and making her way to the living room.

* * *

Tim awoke at six; his wife's side of the bed was cold. Quickly getting up and getting dressed, he went to check on the children, only to find their beds empty. It wasn't until he returned to their room that he noticed the necklace on the photograph on the nightstand. With shaking fingers he lifted it off the frame, the star glistened in the dark. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his cell and quickly dialed a number. It took a moment, before the other person on the line picked up.

"... llo?"

"Tali, she's gone."

* * *

"What do you mean she's gone, Tim?" Tali and the rest of the team had rushed over to the apartment as soon as Tim had called, and now, they all gathered around, listening as Tim told them of waking up and finding Ziva and the children gone. "I don't understand, why would she run off like this?" Tali asked, tears in her eyes. Tony sighed.

"It's because of the Brotherhood." He whispered, holding the cup of coffee against his chilled hands. Tali turned to him.

"What Brotherhood?"

"Brotherhood of Doubt. They're a terrorist organization. The explosion that killed Secretary Jarvis was caused by the Brotherhood. Tehy're targeting Gibbs' team, and NCIS... turned their backs on us. We're on our own."

"Who is their next target?" She looked around, her gaze landing on Tim, as Gibbs whispered,

"Ziva."


	34. Chapter 34

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

He had to find her. Taking another sip of his beer, he turned his attention back to his laptop. He still, two weeks later, didn't understand how she could just take their children and flee and leave him behind. He knew she was scared, and that his wife had a habit of acting irrationally on her fear, especially if she felt threatened, but this...

_"She took my children and she left, Tony! My wife is gone! My children are gone! I may never get them back!"_

_Tony grabbed his face, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Is Ziva worth it, Tim? Is she worth all this heartache? Is she worth the fight? Well, is she?" A moment passed, before he nodded, tears in his green eyes. "Then fight. Fight to get her back. Fight to get your children back. Fight for your family, Tim!"_

No matter how much he hated to admit it, Tony had managed to knock some sense into him. That had been a couple days ago, and he now found himself trying to get up the courage to...

He sighed; he wasn't even sure what he wanted to do.

A soft_ ping_! announced itself, and he looked up. His wife's smiling face stared back at him, followed by a message:

_Hi, baby. _

He started, unsure if what he was seeing was correct. After several seconds, he wrote back.

_Why?_

Silence followed. Tim swallowed, rubbing his face with his hands. "Talk to me, Ziva. Please." Another_ ping!_ announcing a new message.

_I had to, Tim. I had no choice._

He chuckled bitterly.

_No choice? You had a choice, Ziva. I didn't have a choice. You didn't _give_ me one._

He took another sip of his beer, as her message appeared on the screen.

_I did this to protect you. To protect all of us._

He closed his eyes, shaking his head, struggling to keep the tears from falling. This- _this_- was what he didn't understand. If she wanted to protect them, she should have stayed, not run. They'd survived so many times, they could survive this too.

_You took my children from me. You left in the middle of the night, without a word. Do you know how worried I was when I woke up that morning and you and kids weren't there?_

Her next reply was short, but he could hear the heartache.

_I... I know._

He slammed the beer down on the table, anger boiling in his blood.

_You know?_ _No, Ziva, you don't know! You have no idea what it was like to wake up and find your family gone! You have no clue about how panicked I was! I thought something had happened to you, that our children had been taken out of the apartment in the middle of the night! How could you just leave like that? Without a word, without telling me anything! How could you? Ziva, we're a team! We're a family, we protect our own, we don't run! You_ know_ that!_

He sat back, running a hand through his hair. He'd never lost his temper like that, but it was warranted, as far as he was concerned. He was pretty sure, if she'd been there, he'd have hit her, something he swore he'd never do. But damn it, he was angry. Angry at her for leaving, for lying to him, for taking the children without his knowledge, for... for leaving him behind.

_I tried to convince myself to stay, Tim, I did. But... but every time... I knew I couldn't lose you to Parsa and his team, and... and I knew..._ She stopped, as though she were wiping the tears off her cheeks._ ... baby, I never meant to hurt you, you have to know that. I'm only trying to protect you, Tim. I can't lose you, and this... this was the best solution I could think of._

Tears slid down his own cheeks and he took a deep breath.

_ And our children? Are they okay?_

He took a deep breath, reading her reply.

_They are fine. Perfect._

A moment passed, as Tim buried his face in his arms, choking on a relieved sob. His children were okay; thank God, they were okay. When he was finally able to catch his breath, he wrote back,

_Come home, Ziva. Our children need... they need to be home, they need us, together. _I_ need you, Ziva, please. Baby, come home._

He could hear her shaking her head, see the tears on her cheeks as she took a shaky breath and spoke.

_I can't, Tim. Not yet._

A moment passed, before a photograph appeared in her comment box. He recognized it as one he'd seen in her room the night they conceived Asher. It was of her and Ari as children, smiling and laughing. Another photo soon appeared; that long ago afternoon at the café, when Ari had snapped the photograph of the two sets of siblings. Tears came to Tim's eyes as she sent him another photo- one of their wedding photos. She was curled in his arms, smiling shyly at the camera, his arms tight around her.

_Why not?_

The last photo she sent had been taken when she'd been pregnant with Zipporah. The photo, taken two days before Zipporah was born, showed Ziva sitting on the bed, her belly protruding before her. In only a pair of pajama bottoms and a sports bra, she was caressing her belly; Asher and Liron were sitting on either side of her, their hands on her belly as they talked to the baby. And Tim was sitting behind her, his arms wrapped around shoulders, as he pressed a kiss to her head. Tali had taken the photograph, and Ziva had loved it. Tears came to his eyes, and he took a deep breath.

_Because, I have to do this. I'm so sorry, baby._

He swallowed the urge to lose his temper, and calmly typed back,

_Want some company, then?_

The final photograph she sent him was one of them at the beach, when they'd taken the kids up to Nantucket for their spring break. They stood on the beach, soaking wet and locked in a passionate kiss. It was a memory that burned bright in his mind, one he clung to.

_Absolutely, Tim._


	35. Chapter 35

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Guest for reviewing 32, mcgeeksgirl for reviewing 34, and Reader for reviewing 32, 33 and 34. **

_"Don't worry, Tim. We will be okay. We will all be okay."_

He looked around, Ziva's necklace held tight within his grasp. Tim had arrived in Israel a couple hours ago, and soon found himself standing in the hallway of the apartment building the Davids once lived in. After arriving in Israel, Tim had been taken to Mossad HQ, where he'd met with the new director. Now, with Officer Adam Eschel as his escort, Tim stepped into the apartment directly across the hall. They were immediately met by Dr. Deena Bashan, Ziva's childhood best friend, wielding a hammer. Now, he sat across from her, a cup of tea going cold on the table in front of him.

She was small, slender, much like Ziva herself, with long light brown hair. "I remember you, Deena. Vaguely, but I remember you. Followed Ziva around everywhere because she followed me around." Deena chuckled, nodding.

"_But why? Do you not think it is stupid that people would build houses out of boxes and newspapers?" He groaned, turning to her. _

_"It was the Great Depression! Sometimes, people had to live in boxes to survive!" Ziva raised an eyebrow._

_"If it was a depression, why was it great? What was so great about it?" He rolled his eyes, turning to the girl next to Ziva. She was quieter, with a book open, nose buried, barely paying attention to the conversation. _

_"Will you please talk to her? I can't take it anymore. She's driving me up the wall." At this, Deena Bashan looked up, confused. She shared a glance with Ziva, before asking,_

_"How does someone drive up a wall?" He let out a groan, turned and stalked off, hearing the girls race to catch up._

"I inherited this place from my parents. The Davids lived across the hall." Tim nodded; he remembered Deena, only vaguely- a young, studious girl who was more interested in medical books than going shopping or seeing movies. The exact polar opposite of his wife. "I was older than Ziva, but I looked up to her. Even then, she was a force. Determined, inquisitive, stubborn as a mule." Tim chuckled; Deena had hit the nail on the head.

"That sounds like my wife."

"Forgive me, Agent McGee. I'm babbling and you have questions." He sighed.

"When was the last time you saw Ziva?" Deena thought a moment.

"Years ago. Before she left for America, with her son. To find you." Silently, Tim set the evidence bag containing Ziva's childhood list on the table, pushing it towards her. The new Mossad Director had given it to him, telling him to find Ziva and make sure she was all right. Deena's eyes filled with tears. "Where did you get this?"

"You've seen it before?" Eschel- the agent sent from Mossad to accompany Tim on his search- asked, as Deena nodded, choking on a sob.

"I had one too. This was Ziva's." Tim sighed, remembering the list written in girlish scrawl.

_... be a ballerina... ride a horse... live in a castle... visit Ireland and America... have a boy and a girl_..._ Stop this for him..._ He swallowed. That part baffled him. While she had done most of the things on her list, this had been added years later. Recently, from the looks of it.

"We were so young, we were just learning English. We called them our wills. Our teachers said that if we buried our wishes in the ground and thought about them every night, they would become truths." She choked up, sniffling. "I know that her work- your work- is dangerous, please, just tell me."

"We're doing all we can to make sure she is safe." Eschel replied.

* * *

Ziva looked up; Asher came over to her, silently climbing into her lap. "Why did we leave, _Ima_?" She sighed. She knew these questions would come up- they'd come up from the moment they stepped on the plane- but she hadn't been prepared to answer them yet. And it looked like, from the way things were going, she never would be.

"Asher-"

"Why did _Abba_ stay home? Didn't he want to come?" Tears came to her eyes, and she swallowed thickly.

"He did."

"Then why didn't he?" Ziva took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around her son and pressing a kiss to his head. Being here, back in this house, with Asher, brought back so many memories of the months she spent away from her father's bloody grasp, waiting for her baby to be born. After a moment, she took his hand, lacing their fingers softly and whispered,

"Do you remember this house, my angel?" Asher looked around slowly, drinking everything he could see in. After several seconds, he turned to look at her.

"We lived here before going to America to find _Abba_." She nodded, tightening her arms around her son and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"That's right. You were born in this house. And we stayed here, until we went to America." She reached up, brushing his curls out of his eyes, before pressing a kiss to his head. She thought a moment, continuing to brush her fingers through his curls, chin resting on the crown of his head. "There are lots of memories in this house." Lost in thought, she pressed a kiss to the top of his head, mind going back to those long months she was forced to stay here to stay out of Eli's grasp.

_She sat up, glancing around. The house was quiet; it was almost two in the morning, and she hadn't been getting much sleep, thanks to the baby growing and moving in her belly. A moment passed, before she glanced down; her belly, round and protruding in front of her, held the most precious cargo in her small world at that point. Gently, she caressed her belly, tears in her eyes. "Some day, I will go to America and find your Abba, I promise you, I will." _


	36. Chapter 36

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

_"Ziva begged me to forgive her. I could not. Had any other agent come to the door, I would have said yes, Agent McGee! Why should she have the man that she loves, the father of her children, when she took mine from me?"_

_"I'm gonna find her, Dr. Bashan. She's my wife, I have to find her."_

_"Ziva is gone, Agent McGee. When she left me that night, she was not the same person!"_

Deena's words filled his head as he rushed up the steps. Somehow, someway- he didn't remember how- he'd found the house in Be'er Sheva, the house his son had been born in, the house his wife had been born in. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the slightly open door, waiting. Several minutes passed, before the door opened, and he found himself staring into his wife's eyes. "Ziva." Before she could say a word, he'd stepped over the doorway, wrapping his arms around her and lowering his mouth to hers. She drank in his kiss, surprised to find him here. Eventually, she pushed him away, searching his gaze.

"Tim, what are you... what are... what are you doing here?" He searched her gaze, surprised that she had the audacity to ask.

"What do you think, Zi?" He asked, capturing her lips again, his anger retreating now that she was back in his arms. But the second kiss was short-lived, at the sound of small footsteps.

"_Ima_-" Shrieks soon sliced through their momentary bliss, and Tim pulled away as his children rushed to him._ "Abba! Abba, you are here!"_ Liron and Zipporah rushed to him, and he pulled away from his wife, kneeling down, arms out, as his two youngest threw themselves into his arms. Tim scooped his youngest into his arms, kissing each multiple times as they wrapped their small arms around his neck. When Tim finally set them down, he turned to Asher. The boy stood back, watching his father silently.

"Is it really you?" The boy asked; he'd asked Ziva every night why Tim wasn't with them, and every night, Ziva refused to answer. After Ziva tucked him in and slipped out of the room, Asher would turn to watch the stars, wishing on the ones that fell. Always the same wish:

That his father would be with them, and every morning when he woke up, his wish went unanswered. But now...

Now it had come true.

Tim gave his oldest a small smile, nodding. "It's me, sweetheart."

Tears clouded the boy's green eyes as he rushed to his father, throwing his arms around Tim's waist, with a strangled, "_Abba!" _His father stumbled briefly, before regaining his balance and wrapping his arms around his oldest son. _"It came true! It finally came true!"_ Slowly, Tim knelt to meet his son's eyes.

"What came true, sweetheart?" He asked softly. Asher's tear-filled green eyes met his, and he swallowed.

_"My wishes."_ The boy choked out._ "I wished and wished and wished on shooting stars, like you taught me too, every night, and they never came true."_ He sniffled. _"But they did now. I wished on six shooting stars last night, six, and they all came true! They all came true, Abba! Because you're here!"_

The boy broke down, holding tight to his father, sobs wracking his small body. His arms tightened around Tim's neck, and he buried his face in his father's shoulder. Tim held his son close, breathing in that beautiful, heady scent that only a parent could recognize and identify as belonging to his children. Tears in his own eyes, he pressed a kiss to his son's head, taking a deep breath.

* * *

Ziva looked up from the tea she was fixing. It had taken two hours for Tim to pry himself away from the kids, and he now wandered into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist slowly and resting his chin on her shoulder. Silence had reigned between the couple for the last two hours, almost as if Ziva hadn't wanted him there, when she'd asked for him to come.

He pressed a kiss to her neck, burying his face in her hair. It had lightened, thanks to her being out in the sun more here. His hands moved down, caressing her hips as he pulled her closer, needing the feel of her body against his. Despite the days, the hours- the weeks it seemed- both needed this simplest of caresses. She arched her back, pushing into him, laying her head on his shoulder, before setting the kettle down and covering his hands with hers. "Why did you leave, Ziva?" He whispered, brushing his lips against her cheek. She sighed.

"Parsa. I am his next target; I could not risk you getting hurt, you possess too much of my soul." He stopped, thinking.

"So you decided that taking our children and fleeing back to Israel was better than staying home so I could protect you?" She turned, meeting his gaze.

"No, Tim. I left because if I stayed, he would come after you, and our children would be in the crossfire. The further away from you, the safer you were." He pulled away. "I was thinking of you and our children."

"Did you ever think," He asked softly, "that maybe our children wanted their parents to stay together? Don't you think they deserve that?" Then, he left her in the kitchen, tears slipping down her cheeks.

* * *

"Tim?" He looked up from his book. The children were in bed, but he'd been unable to sleep. His mind constantly went back to the conversation he'd had with Ziva in the kitchen earlier in the day. She hadn't denied, but she hadn't defended either. Now, he looked up, finding his wife standing in the middle of the room, in boxers and a tank, he hair down around her shoulders in tangles. He waited, silent. She went to him, holding out a hand. "Come to bed, Tim. Please." She bit her lip, thinking. "I... I know I messed up... Tim please, I need you. I need my husband with me tonight."


	37. Chapter 37

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 35 and 36.**

This loving was slow, gentle; it was a rejoining of two souls after a long absence apart. As they collapsed in each others' arms afterward, Ziva felt a contentment she hadn't felt in days, weeks. Glancing over at her husband, she felt her heart jump as she watched him catch his breath. Shifting onto his side, he tucked his arm under his head and watched her, drinking her in. Slowly, he reached out to trace her features, drinking in the mere fact that they were together again.

She glanced at the clock, but didn't register the time, though she knew it was before five in the morning. "We needed this, Tim. We both did." She moved closer, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. Tim's eyes snapped open midway through the kiss, and he pulled away, taking a deep breath. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Tim?" But before she could ask again, he'd flipped them over, pushing her into the mattress, holding her arms above her head. "Tim, what are you doing?" Ziva didn't like not knowing where something was going, and this little impromptu surprise was starting to worry her. She loved when Tim took control, but this...

"Did you really think you could just take my children and leave without me coming after you, Ziva?" He growled, moving down to kiss her breasts. Her chest heaved slowly as she tilted her head back and let him take over. He nipped hard on the soft flesh of her breast, one hand sliding down her side to slip between her thighs. He played with the curls of her pubic hair for several seconds, fingers deliberately brushing over the sensitive skin between her thighs and making her jump every so often. She bit her lip, groaning in pleasure as his fingers slid over the sensitive skin before slipping into her.

"If... this is your... idea of torture..." She panted. "It's... working..." She swallowed. He kissed her deeply, enjoying the feel of her arching beneath him._ "God, Tim..."_ He broke the contact, leaving her shaky and staring into his eyes with worry. Those beautiful green orbs of his had darkened to a smoky emerald green, and he leaned down, nipping gently at her ear.

"How_ dare_ you think leaving me was for my own good, Ziva." He growled, pushing her back onto the bed and getting up. She took a deep breath and sat up, watching the muscles in his back move as he got dressed. He was so beautiful, and she was so lucky, and she'd thrown it away in a moment of fear.

"Tim, you have to understand-" He turned to face her, pulling his shirt on. As he pulled on the over-shirt and began to button it, he waited, giving her the floor. She stopped, opening her mouth only to close it.

"Understand what, Ziva?" He asked, waiting. When she didn't speak, he continued, adjusting the collar on his shirt. "Understand that you took my children and fled? That you abandoned me? That you left without an explanation, without a _reason_, without giving me any kind of clue as to where you'd gone or why you'd left?" He made his way to the bed, leaning on it, until they were nose to nose. "That you've done what _everyone_ in my life has done to me except for Penny and Sarah? I've been abandoned most of my life by people who I_ thought_ loved me. The _last_ person I expected to be abandoned by was _my wife_."

Then, he stood, leaving the bedroom. She took a deep breath, realizing that he was right; she'd brought this on herself.

* * *

Tim looked up; he was sitting on the back porch, his laptop open in front of him, writing. It was the only thing he could do that he knew would keep him calm and keep him from going even further off the rail than he was. Ziva had left him alone, only stepping out to set a cup of coffee on the table beside him and press a kiss to his cheek with a whispered, 'I love you' that he didn't have the calmness to return just yet.

The sound of small footsteps brought him from his work, and he looked up as Zipporah rushed over to him. Her long black curls were pulled back into two pigtails, and she wore a pair of jeans and a pink top with flowers on it. He pushed his chair back and let her climb onto his lap. The child nuzzled into her father, burying her face in his chest. After a moment, she looked up at him, smiling. Tim's heart tugged; she had Ziva's smile, her beauty... she was innocent in this, like her brothers were. They probably hadn't wanted to leave without Tim, but it had been Ziva's motherly promises that had made them follow. He understood, he really did, he just...

A soft_ ping!_ announced someone trying to make a call, and Tim pressed a kiss to his daughter's head, before gently setting her back on her feet. "Go play with your brothers, sweetheart." With a sloppy kiss to her father's cheek, she did as told, and Tim made sure she was out of sight before he accepted. Gibbs and Tony stared back at him, from MTAC.

"Any luck, Tim?" Gibbs asked. Tim sighed, rubbing his face in exhaustion.

"Damn, you look like hell, McScruffy." Tony joked gently, trying to ease some of Tim's tension. He scoffed gently, sitting back in his chair.

"Good to see you too, DiNozzo." He replied. "And no, Boss, not yet. Every lead..." He let his gaze wander to the side, catching sight of someone leaning against the doorframe, one hand stretched out to rest against the other side. "Every lead only leads to a dead end."

"Come home then, Tim. We can restart the search from here and then-"

"No!" Tim's sharp bark cut the former Senior Agent off. "I'm not coming back to the States until I find my wife and children, Tony!" The other man shut up, holding out his hands in surrender. Gibbs just watched, understanding Tim's frustration.

"If Ziva doesn't want to be found, Tim, then you should let her go. Stop searching. But if she wants to be found, you'll find her. It just depends." He nodded, before canceling the call. Slowly shutting the laptop, he turned his gaze to the door.

"You know how hard that was?" He asked, meeting his wife's gaze. Asher clung to his mother's waist, head resting against her small body. The boy watched and listened to the interaction between his parents, sensing something very wrong between the couple, but he kept quiet. His brother and sister were inside, coloring. She reached down with her free hand, stroking her fingers through her son's soft black curls. The boy looked up at her, green eyes searching hers, before resting his head against her again, watching his father.

"Gibbs was wrong, Tim." She said; Asher could feel her words within her chest, could hear the deep, jagged breaths she took as she spoke. "I did not want you to find me, and yet you did." After a moment Asher pulled away and returned inside; he didn't want to see the argument between his parents, and so joined his brother and sister.

"I should have told him, Ziva." She shook her head, narrowing her eyes at him. Then, she let go of the doorframe, hand falling to her side with a soft slap, and headed into the house.

"You cannot beat down my door one minute and expect me to face my old life again the next, Timothy!" Tim got up and followed her, grabbing her by the elbow when he got close enough.

"Hey! Ziva!" She turned back to him, dark eyes narrowing at the feel of his grip on her elbow. "I had to take the call-"

"You did not have to do any of this!" She snapped back. "Why are you here?" He scoffed gently.

"You invited me." She studied his face, studied his eyes, whispering,

"That was before."

"Before what? Before you took my children and fled?" She swallowed, yanking away.

"You should not have come." Then, she turned and headed through the living room, slipping out a side door. Tim sighed, turning to find his children watching silently from the bedroom door.


	38. Chapter 38

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"_Abba_? Why is _Ima_ angry?" Tim sighed, kneeling down and allowing Liron to rush to him. The little boy threw his arms around his father's neck, laying his head on his shoulder. He glanced at his oldest and his youngest, and then back to his middle child, before slowly pulling away.

"Because of the situation, sweetheart. Something like this isn't easy to deal with, and _Ima_'s stressed. We just need to give her time. Okay?" The little boy nodded, before Tim glanced at his two other children, who also nodded. Then, Tim pressed a kiss to Liron's head, and stood.

As the kids returned to playing, Tim slipped out of the house; Ziva sat on the back porch, staring into space. Silently, he joined her, watching as she subconsciously caressed her belly. An old habit, he knew, from when she'd been stuck here all those years ago, pregnant with Asher and dreaming of a life with the father of her baby. She didn't look at him as she spoke, her tone soft.

"It's funny you know, the things we decide are worth something." He watched as she slowly lifted her tank up, exposing her slender belly. Gently, her hands caressed it, a habit she could never fully break herself of. "When I was pregnant with Asher, all I wanted was to flee Israel and find you. I dreamed of you coming back and searching for me, taking me away, or going to America and finding you. I imagined you being there when our baby was born, helping me... decorate the nursery and get ready for the birth... everything important. But my wishes never came true." She choked on a sob. "It took eight years for them to finally come true."

He sighed. "What is it you're looking for, Ziva? What is it you want? Are you not happy with our marriage, our life? Am I not good enough?" Slowly she turned to face him, seeing the fear in his eyes. Gently, she reached up, taking his face in her hands, stroking her thumbs against his cheeks.

"Oh Tim, you are perfect. You are everything I ever wanted. I love our marriage and I love our life together."

"Then why did you leave? Besides Parsa, why did you leave?" She swallowed.

"I have to do this alone, Tim." She took a deep breath, pulling away and returning her hands to her belly. "I have to let go of everything that's happened, or I will be pulled back to where I started, and I can't allow that. I would never survive it if I returned to where I started."

Tim's brow furrowed, confused by her statement. "I-"

She chuckled softly, tears in her eyes as she brushed her thumb over the skin of her belly. "I carried your children inside me; for nine months, I felt them grow, and move and... and the first time, I did it alone. Sure,_ Ima_ and Tali and Ari helped me, but... but for the majority of it, I was alone. I felt Asher form and grow and become a tiny human being from the moment we conceived, though at first I didn't know it. I felt him kick and stretch and hiccup and... and I felt him shift and become ready for birth... and when I went into labor, I..." She swallowed the tears in her throat. "I felt him move out of my body and come into the world. And... and he came into the world covered in birth and blood and fluid, with this... this head of dark curly hair and those beautiful blue eyes that changed to green and... and he was so tiny and so helpless and... and the most beautiful person I'd ever seen..."

She took a deep breath, sniffling. "He looked up at me, and I felt my heart break, because he was yours, and you were not there to meet him now that he was out in the world. And then..." She shrugged. "I lowered the strap of my top, and... I don't know how I knew, but... but I just guided his mouth to my breast, and he... he latched onto my nipple and began to nurse and... and it was comforting, listening to him suckle, feeling him drink the milk from my breast..." She took a deep breath, looking down at her lap. "And I... I started to wonder what would have been like if you had been with me. How you would have reacted to seeing our son after birth, to reach down between my legs with me and feel his head... to hold him immediately after he came out of me... I lived on those fantasies, on those dreams, for weeks, for months..." She met his gaze. "You gave me a reason to believe in hope, Tim. And if I lose that..."

She reached up, taking his face in her hands again. "If I lose that..." She sighed, swallowing as she pulled away. "There were times, when I felt NCIS take a piece of me. Little pieces at first, but... but still pieces. Pieces I only got back when I was home with you. Pieces I lost again when NCIS turned on us. And now... now I worry they may be gone forever."

Tim sighed; he understood where she was coming from. He also felt parts of him die while working at NCIS. But it was common, in their line of work, wasn't it? "Sometimes... sometimes life... sometimes it surprises you." She met his gaze, drinking in his words, arms around her knees.

"Aren't those the moments worth living for, Tim?" She asked, never breaking his gaze. "The moments that surprise you the most?" He thought a moment, nodding.

"I've always thought so, Zi." A smile slowly slid over her face.

"You called me 'Zi' again." She whispered, as tears came to her eyes. She had no idea why the simple use of his nickname for her upset her so much, but realized it was an upset in a good way. He shrugged, silent. Slowly, she leaned forward, tentatively capturing his lips in a soft kiss. A kiss that Asher saw from his place behind the doorway, where he was listening intently to his parents' conversation. When Ziva pulled away, she reached up, cradling his face in her hand, nuzzling her nose against his. "I love you, Tim. I have always loved you; I never stopped."

His response was the kiss her softly again.


	39. Chapter 39

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

She looked up from her thoughts, as he joined her on the sofa. After their talk the day before, things had gone smoother between the couple, and they'd tried to keep it civil for the sake of their children. Clearing his throat softly, he opened his hand, and she watched as the golden star tumbled out, swinging lightly back and forth in front of her. Her gaze locked on the object that had defined her; that had defined her childhood and her faith, her traditions and how she raised her children. Slowly, silently, Ziva reached out and took the necklace from her husband. She sighed.

"Old friend. Thank you, Tim." He nodded.

"_Al lo davar_, Zi." She chuckled softly, realizing that while she had started using more English, he was beginning to use more Hebrew. A moment passed, before he said, "You asked me when I first got here, how I found you." She fingered the necklace, listening silently. "For a long time, I kept looking ahead. Kept telling myself, _'She's your wife, you know how she thinks. You_ know_ her, you've known her for years, you've had children with her, you've made your life with her. All you have to do is anticipate her next move.'_" He leaned back, propping is elbow on the back of the sofa. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Asher sneak into the room, silently listening to every word.

"And then one night, I had a dream, and everything was all lined up, together- your family's safe house, Ari's picture, the photograph of our summer together, our wedding portrait, that day on the beach in Nantucket, your old friend, Bashan- and when I woke up, I knew. I knew that you weren't looking ahead. You were looking back." Her gaze moved from her necklace to meet his. He then got up, walking around the sofa, going to the window. His hands slid into his pockets and he felt Asher come closer, trying to be inconspicuous. He chuckled softly at his son; he'd inherited some of his mother's ninja skills, but he still had a lot to learn.

"I tracked you down, to Amman, where Rivka was killed and Tali was injured. And then to your grandparents graves in Meron... and the opera house in Cairo, where you took Tali the week before the explosion, and finally... I found you and our children here. Of course." He chuckled softly, dryly. Slowly, turned from the window and moved back to the sofa, kneeling behind it and resting his arms on the back, meeting her gaze. "The house in Be'er Sheva, where you were born." His gaze moved from his wife to his oldest son, who'd moved to the edge of the sofa, listening silently. "To the house where you were confined when you were pregnant, to the house where you went into labor that long ago day- the day you gave birth to our son, essentially alone."

She swallowed, licking her lips. "After my father died, after we resigned, after Sarah's wedding... I... returning to these places seemed..." She glanced at her son, before turning her gaze back to her necklace. "It seemed necessary." Slowly, she turned to him. "It started off as a good thing, but..."

"But then you saw Deena Bashan-" She nodded, sniffling. "This... this all can't be because of her, Ziva." She shook her head, the tears slipping down her cheeks.

"No, it... it's not because of her, Tim, it... it's because _me_." She replied, pressing her hand to her chest. He shook his head.

"You had to kill Ari, Ziva. One person loving him doesn't change that. It doesn't change anything. You had no choice." Her lower lip quivered, and her eyes welled with more tears; her voice breaking as she spoke.

"Yes, but _I loved him_, Tim! Just as I loved _my father, and my mother, and Tali_. Just as I_ love you and our children_. How can I _not think_, for one _moment_, that for _every man_ I killed, every _innocent life_ I took in the crossfire, that there is _someone_ out there, that _loved him_, that_ loved them_, that is out there_ crying for him_?"

"It's part of the job, Ziva. You _have_ to leave it at that."

She shook her head, getting up, dropping the necklace. Asher knelt down and picked it up, as Ziva stepped away from the sofa, turning back to her husband as he stood. "_Deena_ blamed me." She took a deep breath. "When I started this plan, I... I thought... that... that if _I_ came back, to Tel Aviv, to Israel, to the olive groves and to this_ house_... that I would somehow erase _all of that_. That I would somehow erase all of that pain, that I would... somehow make amends for disobeying my father and... and defying him and having our son... even thought it's not Asher's fault." Tears slid down her cheeks and she choked on a sob. "He did not _ask_ to be conceived that night, he did not _ask_ for me to be disowned and sent away, he did not _ask_ to be born here, without his father in the frame, without a name to call his own, without a stable love from his grandparents."

Tim didn't bother correcting her slip. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Our son did not _ask_ to be brought into this world the way he was; he did not_ ask_ me to keep him, it was my choice. It was _my choice _to allow him to grow inside me, and it was _my choice_ to give birth to him, to bring him into this world alone and to raise him alone for the first eight years of his life. It was _my choice_ to fill his head with dreams and fantasies of the wonderful boy who had helped me create him, to make promises to him that I could not keep the first years of his life."

She took a deep breath, uncrossing her arms and covering her mouth with her hand, her other hand resting against her back. Tears slid down her cheeks. "But now that I think of it... each stop... each stop just makes it clearer. Each stop just proves that she was right." She turned from him, waving her hands in a very Italian gesture as she spoke; obviously, she'd been learned a few things sitting across from Tony for so many years. "Deena was right." She turned back to her husband. "The center of all this... _all this pain... is me_."

Tim shook his head, moving towards her. "This_ isn't_ you, Ziva. I _know_ it isn't."

She met his gaze, tears filling her eyes again. She pressed a hand to her chest as she spoke. "_This is me_, Timothy. This is _what I made of myself_, this is what I became..._ a monster_." She choked. "Just like Ari." She met his gaze, sniffling. "This... it... it's not what... it's_ not who I wanted to be_."

He pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket, unfolding it and holding it out to her. "I know, Ziva. You wanted to be a ballerina. And ride horses and travel the world. And have a boy and a girl." Her gaze flicked from the paper to his face. "'Stop this for him.' Who? Ari? Eli? God? Who, Ziva?" She snatched it from him, reading the words quickly before folding it up. _"Who?"_

She took a deep breath, waving the folded paper at him. "This... _this was supposed to stay buried_."

Tim watched in silence as she slowly unfolded the paper again and began to read. "Orli was looking for you too." She nodded, not paying any attention as she read the words.

_Have a boy and a girl. _

A small, fleeting smile crossed her face, as she realized that it- and the majority of the others- had come true. She had had a boy; two in fact, and a little girl. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the paper. "This... this little girl... _this_ little girl was_ strong_." She choked on a sob. "She... she could have... she could have _walked away_ from her father's world. She could have gotten out, she could have fought against him, and fled... and things..." Her gaze briefly moved to her son. "things could have been different." She sniffled. "Things _would_ have been different. If she'd walked away sooner."

Tim watched her crumple the list in her hand, jaw set. "Things _were_ different, Zi. Because of Asher, you stayed on the fringes-" But she wasn't listening. Fat, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she slowly loosened her grip and unfurled her fingers, letting the crumpled ball of paper fall to the floor. She turned from her husband, going to the open door and leaning against the doorjamb. Soft sobs made her shoulders shake, and she buried her face in her hands. Slowly, Tim knelt down and picked up the paper, going to her. "It's never too late, Ziva." She looked back at him, eyes red and lower lip quivering.

"Yes it is, Tim. It's always been too late." He grabbed her wrist as she moved away, heading back to the bedroom. She turned back, searching his face. A moment passed, before he tugged her towards him, taking her hands and pulling her against him, so that her back was pressed against his front. She struggled, not in the mood for being cuddled, but he tightened his grip, walking her into the middle of the room. Asher watched his parents, a small smile tugging at his lips at the sight of his parents being "lovey" as Tony called it.

"This... _this_ is the_ house_ that you were_ born in_, Zi." He whispered, looking around. One hand let go of her wrist and moved to gently rest on her stomach. "_This_ is the house where you lived as our son grew inside you." Slowly, he walked her into the bedroom, hand still on her stomach. "This... _this_ is the room where you gave birth to our son. _This_ is where Asher made his entrance into the world. _This_ is where I wish to_ God_ that I could have been here so you didn't have to go through this alone."

She looked around, there were memories attached to every corner of the room. Her gaze drifted to the floor by the bed; her gaze landed on a stain in the middle of the floor. Only she knew it was from those long, painful hours of childbirth, as she'd sat on the floor with her mother and sister beside her, doing all they could to keep her calm and help her focus on the baby making his way into the world. Slowly, she pulled away, kneeling in front of him, her fingers moving over the stain, becoming lost once again in those moments.

_"Push, Zivaleh!" _

_"I am!"_

Permanently stained from the blood, birth and placenta that had followed her son's entrance into the world, the darkness was a reminder of the new life that had started at a time when she had thought hers had ended. It was the furthest thing from the truth; her self-imposed exile had given her a new chance at life.

_It still hadn't fully hit yet that she was having a baby._ _Maybe it would once the baby was in her arms, but until then, the shock had yet to wear off and reality set in._ _She groaned, pushing again, digging her nails into her mother's hand. The baby's head was out, and gently, her brother was guiding out the shoulders. She let out a scream, not registering Ari's voice._

_"Ziva, stop pushing!"_

She stopped, fingers resting on the stained wood. Suddenly, she couldn't remember why Ari had told her to stop, but she knew it had to be important. But that had been a day filled with pain, joy and heartache, and as she knelt on the floor of the bedroom where her son had been born, she realized that though she remembered the majority of it, she'd blocked small bits and pieces. Perhaps because they were too painful, literally? Or because she only wanted to remember the good that had come from such a rough road? That she had wanted to remember only the miraculous gift Tim had given her before being ripped from her life for good, and so small tidbits had been removed? Something Rivka told her in the months before and after Asher had been born rang loudly in her head.

_"Pain is a funny thing. It can cause immense heartache or tremendous joy, depending on how you use it. In your father's line of work, pain is used a device for torture; to reveal secrets, and hurt his enemies. Your father uses pain to remind those of who is in charge. And that is the difference between the pain of torture and the pain of childbirth, my Ziva._ _The pain a woman goes through during childbirth is a reminder of the importance the baby coming into the world is to you. It is a way to show you that despite what you are going through, there is someone who will love you no matter what. In childbirth, pain is a form of love. A baby is the result of two people creating something so precious, so important, that the only way to understand how important it is, is to feel the pain of a new life coming into the world. Once that baby is out and in your arms, you will understand the joy that comes from such pain. It is the same pain that created that little human being in the first place, and it is proof that there is a reason why you were given such a precious gift. Embrace it, Ziva, my darling. The pain of childbirth is a good thing. Remember that."_

A moment passed, before she laid her other hand against her stomach, before moving it down to rest over her womb. After some coaxing, she'd done as Rivka instructed and embraced the pain that came with childbirth. And it had been painful, perhaps the most painful of all three of her children's births.

_She panted, heavily, groaning in pain as her brother gently slipped his fingers into her__. She dug her nails into Tali's hand, grunting as she felt Ari gently guide her son out of her. "Don't push, Ziva. The chord is around his neck. Ziva! I said not to push!" _

_She choked on a sob. "I have to push, Ari!" He shook his head. _

_"No! Not until I untangle the chord, do you understand me?" She nodded, whimpering in pain._

She glanced back at Tim, but didn't really see him. After a moment, she whispered, "Now I remember." Tim cocked his head to the side.

"Remember what?"

She turned back to the stain, thinking. "Asher's birth. Ari... Ari told me not to... not to push at one point... Said... said the chord was around his neck..." She reached up, resting her hand against her own throat. "but I..." She scoffed gently. "I don't remember hearing him say that... but... but then again, I was in so much pain that day... I could just... not have registered it."

_"Ari, please!" Her scream broke through the chaos of the day, and she leaned forward, panting heavily. "Let me... push again... please, Ari. I have to get him out..."_

_"You'll push when I say you can, Ziva! But not now!"_

_"Ari," He looked up, meeting Rivka's gaze. "What is wrong?" He sighed. _

_"The chord is around his neck and bunched up; I need to remove it around his neck and untangle it so the baby doesn't strangle during the rest of the birth. I didn't realize until now that the chord was around his neck. And my sister needs to calm and let me work." Ziva choked_ _on a sob, leaning back into her mother's embrace. She whimpered, feeling as her brother gently worked his gloved-fingers around the baby's arm and shoulder, and after several minutes, managed to remove the chord from her son's neck and untangle the chord so that it slid out of her birth canal. "Ziva, Ziva, look at me!" She looked up, meeting her brother's gaze. "Push." She nodded, as Rivka helped her sit up._

"He didn't do much... slid his fingers between the chord and Asher's throat and removed it, and then he... he untangled it... I remember him telling me that... that the chord was out and the baby was okay, and that I could push again..." She stopped, licking her lips. "I don't understand how... how I could have forgotten..."

Tim shrugged. "Birth is a traumatic experience, for everyone involved. It's very possible that you could have just been under too much stress and pain that day, and so you blocked it out." She turned to look at him.

"But it's a part of our son's birth, it's a part of our family's beginning... how could I _possibly_..." Sighing softly, Tim knelt by her side. His gaze moved to the stain on the floor, and he furrowed his brow, confused. Gently, he reached out, brushing his fingers over the stain. "It's from... from Asher's birth. He came into the world in this room, right here. Eighteen hours of labor and... and my most precious gift... and eight years of my life as a mother began right here, Tim." She turned from him, studying the stained floor.

"Ziva-"

"My life, childhood, our night together, our son... it all..." She sat on the floor, knees up, staring at the wood, lost in thought. "It's all here... on this floor..." He watched her, worried that his wife was losing it.

"Ziva, honey, it's a _stain_." She looked up at him.

"It's not just a stain, Tim. It... it's proof that... that maybe the only good thing I did was... was have your son." She shook her head. "Out of all the pain I've caused... I... I did _something_ right..." She choked on a sob, covering her mouth. Tim sighed. After a moment, he unfolded the list and turned it over.

"Ziva, I did notice, that there's plenty of room on the back of this list to start a new one. Maybe I could help with that." She looked up at him, removing her hand from her mouth, confused. He took her hand. "Ziva. Ziva, my love... the universe is practically _begging_ you to wipe the slate clean. Don't you think it's time?"

The fear in her eyes told him exactly how terrified she was.


	40. Chapter 40

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Reader for reviewing 37, 38 and 39.**

He watched as she pulled the long-sleeved white shirt on. It bunched beneath her breasts, and she slowly pulled her long hair out from beneath it. Slowly, she turned to him. "What?" He shook his head, getting up and going to her. Slowly, his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer. She lay her head on his shoulder, silent. He could hear the thoughts bouncing in her head, and pressed a kiss to her head.

"You've done good, Zi. You've done so much good in your life, you have to see that. You are _not_ the monster you think you are." She didn't reply. He pulled away, taking the list off the nightstand. He read the words on the back, her new list. "YOu ready?" She shook her head, tugging her shirt down.

"No. But I don't have a choice, do I?"

He took her hand, tugging her gently through the house, and outside. Asher and his siblings shared looks before following. They stopped on the porch, watching as their father led their mother to the olive groves. "Brother?" Asher turned to Zipporah.

"What are they doing?" Liron asked, when Zipporah didn't continue. He thought a moment, glancing back at his parents.

"I am not sure." Then, they sat on the steps, watching from afar.

* * *

She closed the lid of the small wooden box she'd placed her list into, and then set it within the hole she'd dug in the olive grove. Tim watched silently, before kneeling across from her. She worked slowly, methodically, as though weighing her options, gathering her thoughts. Once done, she stuck the trowel back into the dirt and brushed her hands together. Sighing, she pushed her curls away from her face and met his gaze, silent. "Feel better?"

She shook her head, licking her lips. "No... but it's a start." He straightened, holding out a hand. After a moment, she accepted, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She stumbled slightly, and he caught her, hands settling on her waist.

"Zi-" A small smile crossed her face; she loved the simple shortening of her name, but didn't understand why she was getting teary-eyed as it flew from his lips. Seconds passed, with only the silence of the groves and the heat of the sun on their bodies. They stood staring into each others' eyes, entire conversations passing between them. "Come back to D.C., with me. You don't have to do this alone. You have me and our children, and Tali and Michael and Sarah and Damon and Gibbs and the rest of the team-"

She shook her head, laying her hands on his chest. "The first thing on my new list was, 'I will let go of the badge,' Tim. I won't go back. You can go back to NCIS if you want, but I won't. I won't return to NCIS. Not after how they treated us. I won't expose our babies to that, never again."

"I'm not talking about NCIS." He replied, searching her gaze. "You can bag groceries at Wal-Mart for all I care. You can make coffee at Starbucks or pick up trash under the highway, _I don't care_. But I'm _not_ going back without you. I'm _not_ leaving you and our children here. I want you... no, I _need_ you to come home, Ziva. With me. You belong with me. We're a family, we belong together."

"I don't think that's a very-" She started, pulling away, but Tim grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him. He held her close, searching her gaze.

"Listen to me, okay? I know. I know it's hard. I know you want to change." Tears glistened in his own eyes, and she drank in the familiarity of the man before her. He was sensitive, loving; he cared more about her and their children than himself. "I can change with you. I need to change with you. You're right, Zi. What we're doing now, it isn't working. We're just making ourselves sick. And if we keep doing what we're doing, we'll never get any better." Tears slid down his cheeks as he brought her hand to his lips; soft, feather-light kisses brushed against her fingertips, her knuckles, her wedding ring.

"Oh Timothy-" She reached up, taking his face in her hands, thumbs brushing against his tears.

Tony's words rang in Tim's head as he pulled her closer. _"Is Ziva worth it, Tim? Is she worth all this heartache? Is she worth the fight? Well, is she? Then fight. Fight to get her back. Fight to get your children back. Fight for your family."_ Tony had been right. For once, the annoying jackass was right.

"I'm fighting for you, Ziva. For you and our children, for our family. You _have_ to know that. And I'm not going to stop until we win."

Gently, she nuzzled her nose against his, meeting his gaze. "I know, Tim. Believe me, I know." She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, before pulling away and taking his hand. They walked back to the house in silence, and as they got closer, Liron and Zipporah rushed down the steps towards them. Only Asher remained behind, studying his parents. As his parents finally joined him, he asked,

"What do we do now,_ Ima_?" Ziva sighed, meeting Tim's gaze. He shifted Zipporah on his hip. She saw the trust, the love, the faith in his eyes, all for her.

"We will think of something, my angel." She then leaned over and stole a soft kiss from her husband, and Zipporah giggled at the display, burying her face in her father's shoulder. Asher smiled at the sight of his parents acting like they used to at home. "Now, how about lunch?"


	41. Chapter 41

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

She curled up on the sofa beside him, head in his lap. The kids were outside playing the olive groves, promising not to go far. Gently, she reached up, tracing his jawline. "Are you sure we're making the right decision, Tim?" He sighed, one hand resting on her stomach. She reached down with her other hand and took his, lacing their fingers.

"It's the only way, Zi. You know that. It's the only way we can start over."

"You and I both know that's not going to be good enough for Abby, or our sisters. They will never accept it."

He shrugged. "They'll have to. It's safer for us, for the children, if we do it this way." He thought a moment, licking his lips, but Ziva beat him to the punch.

"Then... we'll tell them that... that we are... honoring Gibbs." His green eyes sparked as he suddenly began to understand.

"Of course." He sighed, shaking his head. "Gibbs. Now it makes sense. 'Stop this for him'. Zi, why didn't you tell me?" She shook her head.

"I needed you to figure it for yourself, my love." She swallowed. "I want to make him proud. He taught me to follow my heart... after I first arrived in America with Asher, he... he taught me to accept that you were going to be in our son's life, despite the fact that I believed I had to do it all alone because I had always done it alone. You taught me to love, to accept when I received a gift as precious as our baby boy, to love what life gives you, even if not unplanned, but Gibbs... Gibbs taught me to go after what I desire, and to fight for what matters most to me. You."

He sighed, bringing their laced hands to his mouth and kissing her knuckles. "We have to call him." She sat up, shifting into his lap, facing him. Releasing his hand, she slid her arms around his neck.

"I don't know if I can, Tim." He chuckled softly.

"It'll be fine, Zi. You know how he is on the phone- the 'functional mute'." His wife giggled and wiped her nose, tears slipping down her cheeks. "You'll hardly know he's there. He's a good listener." She nodded. "And... we'll tell Tali and Sarah... that we have to do this. Not alone, but as a family. We have to let go of everything, or we'll be pulled back where we started, all those years ago. We have to, Zi. They've suffered like we have, so they'll understand."

She nodded, caressing his face. "Oh, Timothy,_ baby_... you are so..." He raised an eyebrow, never taking his gaze off her, even as the kids returned from outside.

"Handsome? Funny? Brilliant? What?" She giggled, nuzzling her nose against his, her voice soft, so only he could hear.

"Loved." He smiled softly at her, before gently tugging her chin closer. Their lips met in a deep, searing kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. When they finally, slowly, parted, he nudged his nose against her again, tugging her hand to rest over his chest, whispering,

"My heart. You have always been my heart." She smiled softly, him again.

"_Abba_?" The couple pulled apart, turning to their children. He smiled at his oldest, before Ziva got up, helping him to his feet. With one last kiss to his wife's lips, he said,

"Come on. We've got a plane to catch."

* * *

"Are you sure we are making the right decision, Tim?" She met his gaze; the plane was quiet. He took her hand, glancing quickly at the children, but they were all cureld up, sound asleep.

"Trust me, Zi. We need a fresh start. This will give us a fresh start." She sighed, lacing their fingers.

"But... Dublin? Tim, what will we possibly do in Ireland?" He shrugged.

"We'll manage."

"And who's to say we can actually live there? We'll need work visas and-" He reached up, laying a finger against her lips.

"I have dual-citizenship in Ireland. My father was born in Ireland; my grandfather, Penny's first husband, was Irish. Just like Asher has dual-citizenship in Israel because you are Israeli, I have dual-citizenship because my father was born in Ireland." She sighed.

"But what will we do? There is nothing we can do in Ireland-"

"We'll find work, Zi. We'll get by. It may not be the happy ending either of us wanted, but we'll be together, and that's what matters."

"It will always be a happy ending, Tim, because I have you and our children. That is all I need." He nodded, as she settled her head on his shoulder. Eventually, the gentle movement of the plane rocked her to sleep, and Tim pressed a kiss to her head. They had talked and discussed, and finally, decided that a fresh start in a new country was what was best for their entire family. With Tim's dual-citizenship in Ireland, he and his family could start fresh. He thought back on the last several hours.

He'd gotten in contact with his aunt Fiona in Ireland, only told her that he and his family were going to move to Ireland, and if his grandparents' cottage was still available. Fiona had of course informed him that they hadn't sold the house; Penny had placed in it Tim's name not long after his birth in 'seventy-eight, knowing that if anyone would appreciate it, it would be Tim. Penny had, after all, taken he and Sarah to Ireland for a summer when they were kids, and Tim had fallen madly in love with the country, almost as madly in love as he was with Ziva. So when he'd asked Fiona, she'd informed him that the cottage was still there, waiting for him when he was ready.

Once they landed in Ireland, Fiona would meet them at the airport and take them back to her place; they'd have a home-cooked meal and then see the cottage in the morning. And then, they would do all they needed to get settled, before returning to America to get Jethro and the rest of their things. And once they returned, they could start new.

Sighing, he pulled out a notebook and a pen. Silently, he wrote,

_I Will..._

But he stopped, before closing the pen and placing it back in his pocket. Better to think on it before writing. As he slipped the pen back into his jacket pocket, he felt something graze his fingers, and slowly, he pulled it out.

Ziva's Star of David.

He glanced at the children and then at his wife, before slowly unclasping the necklace and slipping it around her neck, clasping it closed. Once done, he gently straightened the star and pressed a kiss to her head. Asher's sleepy voice drew his attention away from his wife. "_Abba_?" He turned; the boy sat beside him, green eyes filled with sleep. He gave his son a soft smile.

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart." The boy nodded, snuggling close, laying his head against his father.


	42. Chapter 42

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Come on, Jet. That's a good boy." The dog climbed into the car, waiting patiently for his family to join him.

"Are you sure you're making the right decision?" Tali asked. Ziva nodded, meeting Tim's gaze.

"Positive. We need to start over, Tali. We can't do that here. And Tim... Tim has a cottage in Ireland, that is waiting for us. It is waiting for us to live there and make it a home and love it."

"Have you _seen_ it?" She nodded, smiling.

"Yes. And it needs some work, but so did this apartment when we go it. We will make it a home, and it will be prefect for us, because it will be ours." She reached out for her sister's hand. "You have to trust me, Tali. I promise, I am making the right decision." Her sister nodded, sniffling.

"I know. I just..." She took her sister's other hand, lacing them together. "You'll be so far away." She took a shaky breath. "And I've finally found you... only to lose you again..." Gently, Ziva reached up, cradling her baby sister's cheek.

"I know... but I have to do this, Tali. _We_ have to do this. We have no reason to stay here anymore, and Ireland... Ireland will give us a chance to start over, to start new. Like you did, when you came to America."

"And you." Her older sister chuckled softly, before wrapping her arms around her.

"We will keep in touch, I promise. And I will expect you to be there for all the holidays and the summer vacations and spring breaks. We will not lose touch, I won't let us." Tali wrapped her arms tight around her sister, holding her close and breathing in her scent.

"Promise me you will be safe."

"Of course."

"And that you will look after Asher as you did when he was a baby."

"I will."

Tim and Ziva had returned to America two days after arriving in Ireland, to get the rest of their things. They'd double-checked to make sure they had everything, and now, stood biding Tali and Sarah goodbye. As for the team... neither Tim nor Ziva were ready to confront them yet. Maybe once they got settled their new life in Ireland, but not now. This goodbye was hard, but good for all of them. Because goodbyes only led back to much anticipated hellos.

When Ziva finally pulled away from her sister, Tali took her face in her hands, searching her eyes. "You be careful, Zivaleh. And you let me know when you get there." She nodded, pressing kisses to her sister's palms. Tali pressed a soft kiss to her sister's lips, tears sliding down her cheeks. "_Ani ohev otach_, Ziva."

A small smile tugged at her sister's face. "_Gam ani ohev otach, Tali. Rabah_." Tali let her go; she and Michael had already told Tim and the children goodbye, and now watched as Ziva scooped Zipporah up and put her in the car. As Ziva settled the kids in the car, Tim- who'd already told Penny goodbye- turned from Damon to Sarah.

His little sister was sobbing; they'd never been separated for very long, and she hated the fact that Tim would now live in Ireland, in the cottage Penny had once owned. She wanted him here, in the States with her. She didn't want to not be able to stop by the apartment with coffee or to visit. Just the thought of her brother being so far away was enough to bring back memories of her father threatening to send him back to the States and keep her in Israel with him and their mother.

He gave his little sister a small smile, holding out his arms. Sarah rushed to her brother, throwing her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing. Tim held her, remembering when his mother had laid her in his arms, hours after she'd been born. From that moment on, Sarah had been Tim's to protect and love, and he'd taken it seriously. And as hard as it'd been to give her and Damon his blessing, it was even harder now to walk away. Though he knew Damon would protect and love Sarah like he so blatantly did, it was still Tim's duty to protect and love his little sister, even if he didn't have to. He had always been Sarah's protector- often times at the expense of his own happiness. But now...

Now, it was his turn to walk away, and it was going to kill him.

_"She could have walked away from her father's world, and things would have been different. We have to let go of everything, or we'll be pulled back to where we started..."_

They'd been right; in order to start over, to escape the past, they had to walk away. No matter how painful it was.

"You can't go, Timmy! You can't!" He held her close, pressing a kiss to her head.

"I have to, Sarah." She shook her head, burrowing closer to him. "Yes, I have to. I can't stay here any longer. If I stay, I'll never be free of the past. Ziva and I... the last thing we need is to be sucked back to where we started, and I can't allow that. I have to think of my children, Sar. This is as much for them as it is for Zi and I."

She pulled away, meeting his gaze. "But... but you're my _big brother_... and... you're just... just going to _leave me behind_... you've_ never left me behind_..." He took her face in her hands, shaking his head as he whispered softly to her.

"I'll never leave you behind, Sarah. You'll always be with me. I promise." He pressed a kiss to her head, holding her close.

_"Timmy..."_ He rocked her gently back and forth, rubbing her back.

"You've already colored your flowers, Sarah. It's my turn now." He pulled away, searching her face as he gently wiped the tears off her cheeks. "I love you, Sarah." Then, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, and pulled away, even as she latched on in an attempt to get him to stay. Ziva waited for him, tears in her own eyes. She took Tim's hand as he joined her, and kissed him gently before climbing into the car.


	43. Chapter 43

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

******A/N: I've been toying around with the possibility of doing another story in this universe, centered around the _kids_ when they're older, but I'm not sure. I _may_ just do one-shots centered on the kids as they grow up. Honestly, if you're interested in another _story_, I'll do another story. It depends on how much interest there is in this universe. So until then, this is the final installation in this saga. Although, if you're interested in another story in this little universe of mine,_ please_, let me know. It's your call.**

******Thanks to Guest for reviewing 42 and Reader for reviewing 40, 41 and 42.**

A month had passed since Tim and Ziva had permanently moved to Ireland. In that time, they'd managed to renovate the cottage, get the kids settled into school, and find fairly good jobs in Dublin. They had managed to stay out of law enforcement, even if their backgrounds working at NCIS had warranted good, steady jobs and good pay; both Tim and Ziva turned them down- their children were the most important, and they couldn't risk another situation like before. The cottage was in the town of Clontarf, County Dublin Three, in Northside, Dublin, Ireland, just north of the capital. They discovered that they could walk to the beach, and so often did in the days since they'd moved to the small coastal town.

Both found that they greatly enjoyed civilian life, and very rarely did they think on NCIS or the team they'd left behind. They talked regularly with Tali, Sarah and Penny, and only occasionally thought of Gibbs. Other than that, they'd settled wonderfully into their new life, perfectly content to focus on their family and their new start. The kids had picked up the languages fast- faster than Ziva, who, unlike Tim, had never even set foot in Ireland. Of course, they were all surprised that Tim could hold whole conversations with others.

Asher had discovered Curling, and greatly enjoyed it, even begging Tim and Ziva to let him join the school team. Meanwhile, Zipporah had found Irish Dance, and had begged Liron to come with her to her first class; the kids loved it, and looked forward to their classes. They had made friends, and Tim and Ziva often found the cottage filled with the sounds of childish laughter or footsteps. Ziva had also discovered that the cuisine was entirely different to what she was used to. Seeing as she loved to cook, she delighted in taking cooking classes when she had time, and had even taken a weekend to teach Tim what she'd learned- which had resulted in an impromptu night of lovemaking on the kitchen floor, not that either had complained.

As for Tim, he'd enjoyed the historical side of Ireland- he'd delved into his family tree, and discovered he had ties to both sides of the Troubles that had gripped Ireland for decades. But what had surprised him the most was when he'd discovered that his father had been caught in the crossfire. Born in nineteen-forty-four, John McGee had grown up during the years of the Troubles, John McGee had watched friends die in bombings, shootings, riots. In sixty-nine, as a young man, John had borne witness to the Northern Ireland August Riots, when he'd been visiting friends in Derry, and had been severely injured in the fighting. Not that the new information changed his opinion of his father, but it gave Tim an insight into his childhood in Ireland- that even his father's hadn't been entirely perfect either.

"You were right, Tim." He turned to her, confused.

"About what, Zi?" She brushed a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear and looked at him.

"About moving here. We made the right decision." Then, she let go of his hand and reached behind her, undoing the clasp on her necklace. The golden star blinked in the foggy light of the day, twisting and dancing on the wind as it tugged at the gold chain. She closed the clasp, and let the necklace pool in her palm. Her features slid over the engraving of her name on the back, and gently, she traced the star with her finger.

"Zi, honey, what are you thinking?" She met his gaze, and then dropped the necklace into the sand at her feet.

"I need to let go of all my past." She moved to catch up with the kids, but Tim knelt down, snatching up the gold chain. Dusting off the sand, he undid the clasp, and slid it around her neck, gently clasping it.

"Not this. This got you through so much." She reached up, feeling the necklace.

"But Tim-"

"Think of this, as the tie to all the _good_ memories in your past. That helped you survive those eight long years we were forced apart. This held all the hope you had, all the love you gave our son, all the wishes and promises you whispered in his ear as he was growing up. This tie stays." She turned to look at him, reaching up to take his face in her hands. Her dark gaze searched his, and after a moment, he asked, "What is it?"

She shook her head, silent. Then, she rose up on her toes and kissed him, arms slipping around his neck. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist, pulling until she was flush against him. As she slowly broke the kiss, she whispered softly, "How did I get so lucky?" He chuckled, nuzzling his nose against hers. Laughter reached their ears, and they turned to see the kids rush back to them, all soaking wet and shivering. Ziva knelt down, chuckling as she examined her children. "You are all soaked! Come on, let's go home and get you out of these wet clothes and into some warm pajamas!"

* * *

"They are all sound asleep." Tim set a cup of coffee on the table in front of her, and she accepted it with a kiss. But he quickly pulled away; she could tell something was on his mind. "Tim? What is it?" He met her gaze.

"I think... I think that we should call Gibbs. Not the rest of the team, Zi." He added, holding up a hand. "_Just_ Gibbs." A moment passed, before she went to him, setting the cup down and wrapping her arms around his waist. "If you're ready." Her gaze searched his, and after a moment, she caught his lips in deep kiss, clinging to him.

"I think that is a good idea, baby." She whispered, nuzzling their noses.

* * *

He sighed, twisting the cap off his beer bottle. He'd returned to NCIS, only to find Tim and Ziva gone, and no one having any idea what happened to them or where they'd gone. He'd seen Tali, but the good doctor hadn't said a word in regards to her sister and brother-in-law. And Sarah... every time he saw Sarah, she'd burst into tears and rushed off; clearly something upset her, something involving Tim, but she never said. He knew how close the McGee siblings were, and if Tim and Ziva were in danger, he'd sense it. Sarah's odd reaction always threw him off the scent, if momentarily.

Tony had returned to the bullpen, and the look on his face as he'd seen Tim and Ziva's empty desk had been filled with jokes, saying they were probably just running late or had forgotten that they got their jobs back. But by the time the second week rolled around, and they hadn't shown up, the Senior agent had been forced to accept that his partners were not coming back. And then Ellie Bishop had shown up, and Tony had refused to acknowledge any of her questions in regards to his former partners. And the sight of her taking Ziva's desk just made the older agent shut down nearly completely.

He took a sip of his beer, flipping his phone open as it rang. The number surprised him. He was the last person he expected they'd call. Okay, _Tony_ was the last person he expected they'd call, but still, it was a shock that he'd hear from them. After a moment, he answered, raising the phone to his ear. A moment passed, before he cleared his throat,

"Hey, Tim. Hey, Ziver."


End file.
